Shadows Like You
by Cosmic Mewtwo
Summary: Driven by his hunger for power, Giovanni creates three new Mewtwos. The clones seem willing enough to serve Team Rocket, but conflict soon stirs between them. What does this spell for the future of Team Rocket, and how will Mewtwo himself be affected?
1. Domino's Boredom, Mewtwo's Solitude

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Disclaimer: You know it, I know it, everyone in the entire cosmos knows it: I DON'T own pokemon. Enough said.

A/N: I usually write comedy and only comedy, but I decided I should take a stab at writing something serious. I've been toying with this story forever, and now I've finally gotten the beginning done. So... um... Enjoy! Go on! Scroll down and read!

Shadows Like You

__

By: **~*~ Cosmic Mewtwo ~*~**

Chapter I: Domino's Boredom, Mewtwo's Solitude

It's common knowledge that staring at a ceiling for an hour is quite the opposite of fun.

Yet Domino found herself staring blankly at the ceiling anyway, hopelessly bored out of her mind. She didn't have much of a choice though. The only other option was to actually listen and concentrate on Giovanni and a group of scientists talking monotonously back and forth about Giovanni's new plan.

His plan to create more Mewtwos.

This was the fourth meeting Domino had been forced to attend in the past week. By now she was sure that she had every single crack and spot on the meeting room's ceiling memorized. She was just beginning to wonder how much longer she would have to stare at it when she was jolted from her thoughts.

"Domino, are you listening?" came Giovanni's sharp voice. Domino looked over at the boss of Team Rocket distractedly. 

"What? Yes, of course I'm listening, sir," she lied. Giovanni nodded curtly and engaged himself once more into the painfully dull conversations.

These meetings had all started roughly a month ago. Domino remembered the beginnings well, as Giovanni had yelled and fumed for what had seemed like hours. What had made him so angry? It had been the revelation that he had spent millions of dollars on an important expedition to recapture the pokemon Mewtwo on Mount Queyna, and that he had failed miserably. And on top of that, Mewtwo had blocked any memories that Giovanni had of the entire incident.

Of course, it had seemed oddly conspicuous when Giovanni had returned from Mount Queyna with the Team Rocket combat unit, all of which were utterly confused at why they had been there in the first place. They had no clue what had happened.

The scientists and pokemon experts working for Giovanni had quickly deducted that everyone who had been on Mount Queyna had been struck by a particularly strong Amnesia attack. They quickly found a way to reverse the technique, and everyone's memories of Mewtwo came flooding back.

Giovanni had been livid when he remembered how Mewtwo had defeated him. He had been livid, but not discouraged in the least.

And being the ruthless criminal mastermind he is, he quickly began devising a new scheme. He no longer wanted the_ original_ Mewtwo.

He wanted _new_ Mewtwos. Yes, byMewtwo_s_ he meant more than one.

And so the meetings had begun. Giovanni had been constantly meeting with his most elite scientists to discuss and prepare the creation of the new clones. They would be starting from scratch again as their old lab on New Island had been destroyed and a lot of information had been lost. Fortunately for them, they still had some leftover Mew DNA to use.

And Domino was being forced to attend these scientific conferences. She honestly thought that creating more Mewtwos was a bit reckless, considering how the original one had been a personification of catastrophe. Being the type who speaks her mind, Domino had told Giovanni her opinion. But he was as stubborn and determined as Mewtwo himself, and he replied with the same reply that he always used when someone questioned his authority: "I do the thinking around here. _Your _job is to obey my commands."

And that was why Domino was currently sitting in a very un-stimulating meeting, contemplating the ceiling. Needless to say, she was quickly tiring of the ceiling, but that was no surprise. Tearing her eyes away, she decided she'd listen for a moment or two to what was currently being discussed.

"You see, we know how to manipulate the clones so that they will have enhanced psychic abilities," one scientist droned with all the emotion of a textbook. "It's all a matter of mutating the neurons in the brain so that they have excess mitochondria that are specially formed for producing psychic energy-"

_Oh - dear - GOD..._ Domino thought. _This guy sounds like a talking encyclopedia!_

Domino had to try hard to retain a yawn of boredom. She considered pulling out one of her black tulips to play with absentmindedly, but she decided against it. She didn't want to look unprofessional in front of the Boss. She tried once again to direct her concentration to the mind-numbing proceedings.

"How long do you estimate it would take to complete the creation of a Mewtwo?" Giovanni inquired lifelessly.

"A few months, maybe," a female scientist answered matter-of-factly. "It all depends on how fast we can speed up the specimen's cellular mitosis-"

_Won't these robots please shut up? _Domino thought angrily to herself. She never was very good at understanding all this scientific gibberish. She loathed these meetings. She would rather be busy and on the move, not enduring the mental and physical torture of sitting still for hours straight.

Once again she lifted her chilling purple eyes to look at the ceiling.

_I hate you, you stupid ceiling,_ Domino thought resentfully towards the top of the room, as if it were a person. She was so out of here mind with boredom that she could've swore that one of the ceiling's cracks looked like a sadistic smile, mocking her boredom.

A while later, after what felt like hours, Giovanni finally said the words Domino had been waiting to hear.

"All right everyone," he announced. "This meeting's over. You can all get back to work."

Domino practically leapt from her seat. She waited for Giovanni to rise before following him out of the room. She fell into step behind him, her blonde curls bouncing slightly with each step. Giovanni's Persian walked beside Domino, letting out an exaggerated feline yawn. Domino guessed she hadn't been the only one who was bored.

"Boss," Domino began to ask when she and Giovanni were the only two left walking down the hallway, "why do I have to go to all these meetings?"

Giovanni shot a slightly annoyed glance at Domino.

"I've explained to you already, 009," Giovanni said curtly. "You're going to assist me the training of the new clones.

Domino rolled her eyes. "I know _that..._ It's just that I don't know how attending these meetings is going to help me."

"Domino, I know you'd rather be out doing something a little more, well, productive, but I give every order for a reason," finished Giovanni in a firm tone, signaling the end of the subject.

"But why _me?"_ Persisted Domino. "Of all people, why was_ I_ chosen to assist you with the training?"

Giovanni froze in his tracks and turned to Domino angrily. His dark eyes were narrowed dangerously.

Domino swallowed nervously. She had pried too far and had struck a nerve.

"Domino, you should be honored to be bestowed with such an important responsibility," Giovanni said in a clipped tone.

"Oh, I am, I was just curious," Domino said quickly.

"-And if I hear another word about it," Giovanni interrupted threateningly, "I will have to punish you."

Domino nodded quickly, furious at herself for angering the Boss like that. You never knew if his anger would wear off or not.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to leave," said Giovanni, before turning on his heel and walking off, Persian in close pursuit.

Domino turned and walked her separate way, too.

~*~

A full moon shone down on Mount Queyna, casting a pale silver glow on one grim faced pokemon brooding near the water. His large, amethyst eyes were gazing at the glass-still pond, the water reflecting every glowing star that twinkled brightly in the abyssal sky.

The pokemon's purple tail swayed back and forth behind him as he sighed heavily. It seemed odd how he had become so used to be awake during the night. For the past few weeks, he had been wandering his home, Mount Queyna, only by moonlight. There was something oddly cool and soothing about the moon, unlike the sun, which burned so angrily, repelling him from daylight.

Maybe he wandered the night because the moon was one of the few things like himself. Moonlight, after all, is but a reflection of sunlight, and he was a reflection, too. 

A clone, actually. A clone of Mew.

Mewtwo.

Mewtwo stared up at the silvery celestial orb, lost in thought. Closing his eyes, thoughts flooded his restless mind. Rearing up from the dark recesses of his mind, dark feelings of solitude crept up on him and filled him.

Mewtwo shivered, but not from the cold. Every time he remembered how lonely he really felt, his soul would feel empty and cold, as if a shadowy void had appeared and began absorbing every positive thought he had. 

He tried desperately to shake off the feeling of solitude. He hated it- the feeling of longing for some sort of companion. It was completely illogical. One only needed one's self for survival, and he was surviving quite well. And yet it felt strange being alone. Before he had had all his clones with him on Mt. Queyna, to protect and take care of... And socialize with.

After the last encounter with Giovanni, though, all of the clones had gone their separate ways. Mewtwo couldn't blame them. They had no need to sit alone and brood over everything when they could go and be happy with others of their own species.

Mewtwo, however, didn't have that option. He had left Mt. Queyna briefly to live in a human city, for a change of pace. He had roamed the large city at night and observed the humans anthropologically, and it eased the feeling of being completely alone. It wasn't an ideal life, but it kept his mind off of more bothersome things.

But then _Mew_ had showed up.

Mew had been the last creature Mewtwo had expected to see again. After the New Island incident, she had vanished. But Mew had tracked the clone down and encouraged Mewtwo to leave the city, as he was probably better off in a natural environment away from creatures that he wasn't particularly fond of. 

So Mewtwo had retreated back to the peaceful secrecy of Mt. Queyna. And the little pink pokemon had followed him.

Mewtwo sighed audibly. He really felt miserable that his only companion was a near omnipotent and annoyingly compassionate pokemon who insisted on keeping an eye on him.

And as if on cue, Mewtwo heard a soft telepathic voice resonate in his skull.

"This isn't healthy, you know."

Mewtwo turned his head, facing Mew angrily.

"What isn't healthy?" He demanded, glaring.

Mew hovered in the cool night, her blue eyes shining innocently under the moon's silvery light, ignoring Mewtwo's slight hostility.

"Every night you sit and stare at the moon," she said quietly, floating a bit closer to Mewtwo. "You just retreat into your own shadowy world of moonlight, brooding over painful memories and emotions."

Mewtwo hated it when she did this. She could analyze him with the scarcest bit of effort and be right. Not that Mewtwo ever admitted it.

"And how would you know all that?" He replied coolly.

Mew smiled and shrugged. "Oh... I can just make an educated guess is all."

Mewtwo looked back up at the moon, clearly annoyed.

Mew did a few flips and twirls in the air, full of mew playfulness. She hovered around Mewtwo's head.

"So... are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Mew asked.

"No," answered Mewtwo sharply.

Mew's blue eyes widened to an even larger size than usual.

"Oh, so there _is _something wrong, then?"

"No!" Mewtwo snapped. "Why do you even care, Mew?!"

Mew blinked, not phased in the least by Mewtwo's anger.

"I care because I can't stand to see someone so miserable," she answered quietly. "I know you've had a rough life, and I'm only trying to help. You've fallen into a negative mood again."

"I'm not miserable!" Mewtwo said defensively. "I'm just sick of having _you _as my only company!"

"Hmm..." Said Mew, pondering for a minute. "Do you miss the other clones? They were your good friends, after all."

Mewtwo felt a pang of loneliness cut through him.

"That is none of your business, Mew."

"I'll take that as a yes, then."

Mewtwo stood up angrily, wanting to get away from Mew. He glared down at her fiercely.

"There's nothing wrong with me!" He said in exasperation.

"Fine, don't tell me what's on your mind."

Mewtwo gritted his teeth. "Don't you dare try to use reverse psychology on me!"

"Now Mewtwo, I wouldn't do that," said Mew innocently, still flipping through the air. "I just thought you might want to talk with me. After all, I'm the only living creature you have to socialize with."

Mewtwo raised an eyebrow. "Is that some sort of insult?"

"No, of course not," answered Mew, "merely a fact."

Mewtwo stared at Mew, who was now floating at his eye level.

"What do you think is wrong with me?"

"I think you're lonely, Mewtwo."

Mewtwo stiffened slightly at Mew's abruptness. How could she possibly know that? Why was she always right?

"Me? Lonely?" He scoffed. "Please, be realistic..."

"Well, I just thought you might long for company," said Mew with a shrug. "I realize that you're not quite fond of me..."

Mewtwo rolled his eyes. "That is an understatement."

Mew brushed off Mewtwo's insult, being quite used to his cynicism.

"Perhaps you're not lonely," said Mew, "perhaps I'm wrong. Though it is completely natural to long for others of your species."

Mewtwo was caught off guard by that remark. _Was_ that what he wanted? Another Mewtwo? Maybe he was sick of being the only one of his kind... Maybe this uniqueness was what was causing him so much pain. But other Mewtwos... the thought was absurd! Mewtwo considered himself a logical creature, and it was completely illogical to desire something so ridiculous.

He shook his head.

"Mew, there are no others of my species," he countered. "I'm the only Mewtwo, so it's impossible for me to have the company of another Mewtwo!"

Mew nodded. "Exactly."  


Mewtwo raised an eyebrow. "What? Mew, you are making absolutely _no _sense."

Mew flitted around in the air like a pink dart, twirling around Mewtwo's head.

"Or maybe..." She said pensively, "you long for a mate!"  


"Now what would possess me to make me have the urge to reproduce myself?!" Yelled Mewtwo, appalled by Mew's idea. "That is simply-"

"There's a lot more to having a mate than bearing offspring," Mew interrupted sagely.

Mewtwo's nostril's flared. He had had it with Mew's analytical curiosity.

"Mew, get out of my sight!" Barked Mewtwo. "I am growing irritated from your foolish and rushed speculations! Go! _NOW_!"

Mew didn't need to be told twice. With a brief shrug, she teleported to another part of the mountain in a pink flash.

Mewtwo sat down on the ground again, close to the edge of the water. He gazed at his reflection, observing how his face bore no sign of emotion. It unnerved him how he could maintain such a frigid exterior.

_If I look so void of emotion, how come Mew can always tell what I'm feeling? _He thought. Though he had to admit that Mew started to lose sense when she had brought up the topic of other Mewtwos and... and... mates.

Mewtwo had never given much thought to mating or anything of the sort. What use would he have of a companion in that way? He had never felt the urge to reproduce, and the whole situation of being in love seemed alien and illogical to him. Opening up your emotions and sentiments like that only left you vulnerable to be hurt or taken advantage of... Right?

Mewtwo shook his head, feeling almost dizzy from this fresh bombardment of troublesome thoughts.

_Why am I wasting my time contemplating having a mate? _Mewtwo wondered incredulously. _There are no other Mewtwos apart from myself._

And there never will be.

But Mewtwo had no idea how completely wrong he was.

~*~

That's the end of chapter one! Thanks for reading! I'll start writing chapter 2 soon... Now please click on that little thingy at the bottom of the page and send me a review! ! Constructive criticism will be gratefully accepted!


	2. Psychic Intuition

**Shadows Like You**

By: Cosmic Mewtwo

Chapter II : _Psychic Intuition_

* * *

The laboratory was a cold and sterile environment. Tables and computers cluttered the area and scientific instruments could be seen scattered around, along with vials of curious liquids, clipboards, microscopes, and all being used by various scientists.

Giovanni stood in the center of the lab, his arms crossed impatiently. At one side of him, his Persian sat, grooming itself inconspicuously. Domino stood at his other side, professionally posed and ready to take orders.

A few scientists bustled around the trio busily, as if not even noticing that they were there. One scientist, however, stood in front of Giovanni and seemed slightly uneasy and fidgety . Giovanni surveyed him with a dangerous glance, contradicting the rest of his bored expression.

"So, you tell me the clones have fully developed," Giovanni said in a low monotone. "It's about time, too. I've been waiting months to see a final product."

The scientists nodded.

"Yes, we apologize for the wait," the scientists said quickly, gazing at his clipboard to avoid Giovanni's transfixing stare. "Though we did tell you it would take that long; the process of cloning itself is very delicate, and genetically engineering the clones requires even further-"

"I don't want the details," hissed Giovanni, glancing sideways in disinterest. "I just want to see your progress."

"Yes, I want to see the Mewtwos," Domino agreed, her eyes narrowed. "I've heard your painfully boring details about them during meetings- it's about time we see a finished result."  
The scientist nodded, just as intimidated by Domino as he was by Giovanni.

"Follow me," he ordered quietly.

The man turned and began to lead Giovanni, Domino and the accompanying Persian to the opposite side of the laboratory. They passed the noisy activity of the other scientists in silence, until they reached a pair of heavy, metal doors.

The scientist reached towards the handle and slowly eased the door open. Quickly, he looked at Giovanni.

"Go in."

The Team Rocket leader nodded and quietly entered the room. He couldn't help but let his eyes open in curiosity as he passed through the foreboding metal threshold. Domino followed eagerly behind him, Persian at their heels. The scientist closed the door.

The noise from the other lab vanished and silence set in. Giovanni felt his eyes open in awe, and Domino's mouth opened slightly in surprise.

The room was much quieter than the lab they had just left behind. Most of it was empty. A few bits of machinery, wires and a small team of scientists were spread throughout. In the center of the room, three pillars of glass connected the floor to the ceiling. Within the cylinders were three Mewtwos, each floating in amber fluid, obliviously encased in glass and in silence. Each was floating in a slightly curled position, eyes gently closed. Innocence concealed the awesome powers within.

The first Mewtwo was male. His skin was a vivid yellow, and his stomach and tail were red. The tips of his ears, hands and feet were also red, blending into the yellow of the rest of his skin.

The second Mewtwo was a female.

Her tail and stomach were a deep, black shade. The rest of her was a blackish-grey - no hint of color anywhere.

The third was also a girl. Her tail and stomach, too, were black, but th rest of her slender body was colored purple. On each of her upper arms were two black ring markings encircling the width of her arm. Near the end of her tail were two similar markings, only they were purple rather than black.

Giovanni walked closer to the nearest glass tube and peered at the yellow Mewtwo inside. He studied it in silence, silenced by the sight of the figure behind the glass. Finally, he spoke.

"This is a male, correct?" he asked, once again gaining his serious and unamused expression.

"Yes, the scientist answered. "The other two are female. We thought it might be beneficial to have both genders... There might be some differences that are of interest to research -"

"Mm-hm," interrupted Giovanni abruptly, preventing what would no doubt be a boring scientific lecture.

Domino had walked up to the tube which held the black and gray Mewtwo. Her gloved hand rested on the glass, as if she wanted to touch the strange mystery contained within the cylinder.

"Do they have names?" she asked. Her voice was an awed whisper.

"Um, yes," came the scientists's reply.

"And they would be...?" Giovanni asked impatiently.

"Um, well, the purple and black one, her name's Nova," he answered quickly. "The black one we named Chaos, and the male is Orion. They were the code-names we gave them early on in the project, and no one bothered to change them, I guess."

Giovanni nodded.

"Not too bad, I suppose. They're certainly better names than 'Mewtwo,' I'll give you that. The previous scientists had no originality."

Giovanni cast his stare once again at the peacefully slumbering Mewtwos.

"How long until they awaken?"

"Any time now," the scientist shrugged. "We expect it could happen any day . Their physical and mental development is completed, so it's only a matter of -"

"Yes, yes, that's enough," interrupted Domino even before Giovanni could get to it. The scientist sighed and closed his mouth, coming to the conclusion that no one wanted to hear the needless details.

"Well, I must commend you for you excellent work," said Giovanni. "Notify me the second anything starts happening."

With that said, the Boss turned around and began to walk off. His Persian trailed behind obediently, having no care of the conversation that was exchanged.

Domino had to tear her eyes away from the Mewtwo before following Giovanni as obediently as the Persian. There was something hypnotic about watching them float there, none of them aware of the real world that surrounded them. She couldn't help but contemplate what turbulent future possibly lay ahead of them.

Just before Giovanni passed through the metal doors again, he turned his head and surveyed the nervous scientist menacingly.

"You've come this far in the experiment with success," he said in a low growl. "So I expect absolutely no screw-ups. I demand perfection. Or else. Got it?"

The scientist winced and nodded fearfully. Giovanni left the room, grinning to himself. He tried whenever he could to intimidate someone before leaving a room.

In silence, he passed again through the larger, louder and busier laboratory. Scientists rushed by, occasionally saying a respectful hello to their boss. Lab rattata clawed at the bars of their cages and numerous other experimental pokemon growled and cried out for the sake of making noise. Domino strode beside Giovanni, watching the noise around her, but not really hearing it. Her mind was elsewhere.

Giovanni looked down at the Rocket.

"Something bothering you, 009?" he asked, an eyebrow raised. "You're unusually quiet."

"The Mewtwos..." she murmured. "They're eerie."

The Team Rocket leader glanced at her curiously.

"Eerie? How so?"

Domino shrugged, as if brushing the thought away.

"They just don't seem like normal pokemon," she answered quietly. "There's something... more, something almost human to them... but not."

"Exactly," Giovanni responded.

Domino rose an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"You're right, Mewtwo's aren't normal pokemon," Giovanni explained. "They are frighteningly human-like. I failed to take that into consideration the first time around, and that's why I lost the original Mewtwos. You can't treat him like a normal pokemon."

Giovanni reached the end of the laboratory. Pushing open the doors, he lead Domino out into the hallway and continued.

"I treated him like I would treat Persian, for example. "Giovanni glanced down at the silky feline trotting at his side. "If he does something wrong, I scold him and punish him. If he does something properly, I reward him. This conditions him to be obedient. That doesn't work with a Mewtwo."

"Because a Mewtwo doesn't want to be obedient," said Domino wisely.

"Precisely," muttered Giovanni as they took a turn in the corridor. "A Mewtwos has an attitude not unlike that of a human. An adolescent human, you could say. It demands respect as an equal, not an inferior. Otherwise, it rebels against whatever oppresses him."

"So what are you going to do to the new Mewtwos?" Domino inquired.

"Treat them with equality and respect, obviously," he replied. "In order for them to co-operate, we need to form some sort of bond or friendship. Right from the beginning. I'll do whatever it takes to get them to do what I want them to. I won't make the same mistake twice."

"Don't you think that making more Mewtwos is setting yourself up for repeating mistakes to begin with?" Domino asked bluntly, inadvertently irritating Giovanni.

The boss glared at Domino in an intimidating manner. Domino bit her lip slightly as he glowered down at her. He was tall to begin with, but Domino always thought that he looked even more imposing when he had an icy glare upon his face.

"I know what I'm doing, 009," he said in a darkly sharpened tone.

"Yes, sir," she said quietly, looking away from his penetrating stare.

* * *

Stretched out on a smooth, cold floor, Mewtwos tossed in a fitful sleep. The cave he slept in was dark and cool, but even that did not stop him from shuddering awake with droplets of sweat running down his skin. His eyes snapped open and he sat up abruptly, like someone just being awakened from a nightmare. Pushing his back against the nearest wall, he tried to collect himself.

He gazed around and his eyes quickly adjusted to the gloom. Several tall, window-like holes in the wall allowed some scattered shafts of sunlight to penetrate the silent darkness. The ceiling of the cave was very high, very far above Mewtwo's head, and he was tall to begin with.

Mewtwos rubbed his face and breathed in deep, inaudible gasps. Shakily, he stood up, and pulled himself further down the wall to one of the window-like openings. He leaned against the ledge and squinted against the afternoon sun.

Mewtwos only wandered during th night, and slept during the day. He couldn't explain why, but lately the sunlight repelled him. He couldn't stand the burning glare of daylight. Every dawn he would venture into his secluded cave to avoid it and rest. But today was an exception.

All day, sleeping had been a challenge. Mewtwos felt inexplicably restless and uneasy, and slumber proved impossible. The times that he did mange to fall asleep, he was haunted by nightmares. Nightmares of labs, and scientists, and Giovanni. Images and scene that flooded Mewtwos with feeling of dread.

Sleeping was useless today. What was the point in trying if he going to awaken only moments later?

Mewtwos sighed, his breath wavering as he exhaled. He gazed out across the vast land of Johto that surrounded the mountain. He narrowed his yes against the sunlight that beat down on the landscape.

"Can't sleep?"

Mewtwos spun around to find the source of the sudden voice. It was Mew, floating towards him. Mewtwos glared. He stepped away from the window and back into the shadows.

"Don't startle me like that!" he said sharply. "Would it be so difficult to give me some sort of warning of your presence?"

Mew shrugged. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. I thought you would be asleep."

Mewtwos sat down on a large, flat rock in front of a large television screen he used for surveillance purposes. He faced away from Mew,

"I've been having trouble going to sleep," he replied flatly.

"Why don't you come outside and get some sun, then? You can join me at the spring -"

"No thank you," interrupted Mewtwos firmly. "The day won't make me feel any better." Mewtwos put his face in his hands and groaned. He rubbed his eyes wearily.

"Do you want to tell me anything, Mewtwo?" Mew asked innocently, tumbling through the air until she reached the clone. "Sometimes problems seem a lot less troublesome if you share them with someone else. It's like losing half the burden."

Mewtwo waved his hand impatiently, as if trying to brush Mew away like a fly.

"Go away," he growled. "Just leave me to rest. Don't you have anything better to do than to pry at me?!

The pink pokemon flipped herself and stared into Mewtwo's eyes upside- down.

"Usually, people who drive others away do it out of desperate loneliness.

Mewtwo looked up at Mew angrily. Why did she always have to be right and make so much sense? No matter what facade he shielded himself with. The pink annoyance could always make her well calculated and accurate guesses.

Mewtwo looked away from Mew. For the past while, the pain of solitude dwelling inside of him had been a dull ache, gently throbbing all the time. But every now and then -like now- the loneliness would rear up in an icy flare and singe his restless thoughts.

"Would you drop it?" he demanded through gritted teeth. Mew sighed.

"Well, lonely or not Mewtwo, I don't think that's the only thing that's been bothering you," she said quietly. "You've been acting oddly lately. Edgy, you might say. This isn't the only day you haven't been able to sleep, is it?"

Mewtwo's sharpened eyes widened slightly in a blend of annoyance and surprise. She was doing it again. Knowing things she shouldn't. He slightly cursed her for her omniscience.

"All right, to be honest, I have been feeling rather uneasy lately," he said hesitantly. "I can't sleep, I can't focus... When I do sleep, I'm plagued by nightmares. I just have an ominous feeling that something is going to happen. Something big and monumental, but I'm not sure if it's bad or not. I don't now... It doesn't make sense."

Mew nodded slowly, looking vaguely off into the distance.

"I figured as much," she murmured. Mewtwo's expression became puzzled.

"What?"

"I've been feeling the same uneasy feeling," Mew explained. "I know just what you mean."

"How come you didn't tell me?" Mewtwo demanded as anger towards Mew surged through him. He couldn't believe her. Every day she pestered him and badgered him to talk and spill his secretive thoughts. But here she was keeping secrets from him all along.

"I didn't say anything because I didn't think it was anything significant," she explained calmly. "But it must be something if we both feel it. Psychic intuition shouldn't be overlooked."

"Right," said Mewtwo in an unamused tone. "You can leave now."

"Certainly I can, but will I?" Mew giggled, twirling around childishly. Mewtwo clenched his fists.

"You will, if you don't want to see me lose myself in an uncontrollable fury," he said darkly, his purple eyes becoming narrowed.

"Well, if that's the case, we're going to have to go over some lessons on self-control," Mew replied brightly.

Mewtwo stepped forward menacingly, standing to his full and intimidating height. Mew's smile flickered slightly.

"Could you forget for one moment that you have the mentality of an infant and be serious?!" Mewtwo roared. "Get out! NOW!"

"All right, I'm sorry," Mew muttered. She spun around and flitted out of the cave. Mewtwo stared furiously until she was gone.

Mewtwo abruptly turned around and strode angrily through the shadowy cavern. He came to a halt when he reached a small pool of water. The pool was actually a perfectly round basin, cut right out of the stone floor. Stairs led down to the bottom, no doubt made by Mewtwo himself.

Mewtwo stepped onto the first stair and felt the water envelope his foot in a soothing coolness. He stepped down the rest of the stairs until he was submerged in water up to his chest.

A relaxed sigh escaped his lips as he leaned against the side of the pool. All the anger from moments before was washed away. The water he was soaking in was none other than the revitalizing spring water, so automatically Mewtwo felt relaxed and refreshed.

He came here often. It helped him sort out his thoughts without being distracted by pure feelings of worry and frustration. But today, this proved to be a challenge. An unusual amount of turbulent thoughts and worries overwhelmed him.

First of all, what could possibly happen that was making him feel so anxious? Even Mew could feel it. Mewtwo felt helpless. He didn't like knowing that there was something going on, something important, and he was powerless to find out what it was or to control it. He wanted to know what was happening.

Mewtwo shuddered. He felt solitude stab through him again before becoming a consistent ache in his chest. It felt as if some endless void had opened up and was eating away at him from the inside. There was nothing he could do to stop it; every day the pain became worse and worse.

Mewtwo lowered himself a bit more into the water until it met his chin. He closed his eyes in thought. Maybe Mew had been right when she had said that he longed for a mate.

_No! That is completely absurd!_ Mewtwo thought as his eyes jolted open. _I do not long for a mate. I need myself and only myself. Dammit! How could I let Mew confuse me with such a ridiculous idea?_

The psychic pokemon splashed some water onto his pale face and shook his head in an attempt to dispel the bizarre thoughts repeating in his mind. He couldn't deny that this was the first time he had reconsidered Mew's idea. In actuality, he had thought about Mew's suggestion quite a few times since he had heard it. And very time he thought about it, it became harder and harder to make himself believe that it wasn't true.

"I don't need a mate!" he said as if saying it out loud would make his pint clear and concrete.

_Perhaps I don't need a mate, _he though suddenly_. But maybe I want one._

Infuriated and confused with himself, Mewtwos roughly pulled himself out of the water, feeling more stressed than he had before he went in.

"I need sleep," he decided wearily. He found a smooth spot of floor and flopped down unceremoniously. Despite the fatigue causing his eyelids to droop, Mewtwo tossed and turned restlessly before settling on his back to stare up at the blank ceiling.

Exhaustion getting the best of him, Mewtwo let his eyes close.

"I think too much," he muttered.

* * *

End of Chapter II

There! Another chapter completed. Flames are welcome, but will not be appreciated, but constructive criticism will be graciously accepted!! Please review! I'll be ever so pleased!

And yes, I am realizing just now that I made Mewtwo sound slightly vampire- like, what with hating daylight and all, but that wasn't my objective.

Uh... yeah. You can review now.


	3. Restless

Chapter III: Restless 

Time seemed to have come to a stop within the Team Rocket labs. Days and hours passed, and still the Mewtwos remained in their perpetual slumber. The scientists, with lack of anything better to do, sat around the lab in boredom, waiting for something to happen. Rather than monitor the Mewtwos (who seemed to be rather comatose), they lounged about and chatted, drank coffee, played cards or scribbled drawings on their clipboards.

One of the head scientists stood impatiently before the container holding the black Mewtwo, Chaos. She floated in the amber fluid-filled tube, completely unaware of the boredom and frustration of the humans who surrounded her.

"Why aren't they waking up?" the scientist moaned. "If they don't wake up soon, Giovanni will throw a fit! He's getting angrier and more impatient by the day!"

A nearby scientist sitting at a desk drummed her fingernails absentmindedly.

"Well, there's not much we can do, is there?" she said wearily. "Giovanni can be as angry as he likes - It won't make anything happen any faster."

The other scientist sighed, not feeling very reassured. He tapped the glass pillar like a child would curiously tap on the surface of an aquarium. He looked down hopelessly at his clipboard, muttering something under his breath. After jotting a few observations down, he looked up again.

Only now there were two yellow eyes staring back at him.

The scientist jumped back in alarm when he saw the awakened Mewtwo staring at him. The Mewtwo tried to move her arms and legs, but the space was too confined within the glass. Her tail thrashed and hit the surface with a muffled thud.

The scientist spun around and nearly tripped.

"Chaos! The Mewtwo! She's awake!" he yelled. The rest of the scientists all snapped out of whatever they had been doing a moment ago and jumped to work. Noise and disorder reigned in the lab as they raced around and rushed about. Yells and commands were shouted sharply between them.

"Keep an eye on the other two!"

"Alert Giovanni immediately!"

"Be careful; she'll shatter the glass!"

Chaos's eyes glowed momentarily before the glass pillar shattered around her. Shards of glass and amber rained down to the floor. The sudden burst of noise and psychic energy shocked the other two Mewtwos out of their sleep.

"The other two are awake!"

"Someone watch Chaos!"

Chaos didn't seem to be doing anything. She watched her surroundings suspiciously, her yellow eyes sliding back and forth. She wrapped her tail around herself and moved away whenever the humans came any closer to her.

Amid the frenzy, the two other clones burst from their growth tubes. Scientists dodged the flying glass only to slip on the fluid that poured down on the floor.

Orion, the yellow and red Mewtwo, looked around nervously, clearly confused. He flinched whenever a scientist accidentally touched him. The purple and black one, Nova, seemed almost oblivious to everything around her. She was absorbed in her own thoughts, staring at her three-fingered hands. She turned them over repeatedly and watched the amber liquid drip off her rounded fingertips. She seemed bothered, and suddenly she clenched her hands and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Where the hell are we?"

Every scientist in the lab froze and turned to see where the telepathic voice had come from. It was Chaos.

The black Mewtwo gently slid off the remnants of her container and stood up straight. The scientists stared at her in awe, all of them partially afraid. The Mewtwo didn't seem too content, and where was Giovanni?

Chaos crossed her arms, and impatient confusion flashed across her face.

"Where are we?" she repeated, louder and more demanding.

"You are in a Team Rocket laboratory," answered none other than Giovanni. The scientists and the Mewtwos all turned their heads in surprise to see the Team Rocket leader standing at the entrance, flanked by Domino and Persian.

"Team Rocket . . . ?" Chaos said inquiringly. She tilted her head slightly, trying to take in the full detail of the striking man who was advancing towards her.

"Team Rocket is a criminal organization that exploits both Pokemon and people for profit and power," Giovanni explained coolly. "Its long-term goal is to take over the world. I am its leader, Giovanni."

"And who are we?" Nova spoke up quietly. She was gazing at her hands again. Slowly she lifted her gaze to meet Giovanni's. "Clearly we are not like you . . . We are not humans . . . Who are we? What are we?"

Giovanni continued.

"You are all a breed of Pokemon superior to any other breed of Pokemon in the world. You are genetically enhanced clones of the ancient and powerful creature, Mew. You are Mewtwos. These scientists and I created you."

"Do . . . Do we have names?" Orion asked timidly.

Giovanni smiled warmly at the Mewtwos._ Be friendly,_ he thought,_ Get on their good side . . ._

"You are named Orion," Giovanni replied. "You -" he pointed to the black one "- are Chaos, and you -" he pointed to the last one "- are Nova."

"Right," Chaos said curtly. "So we're the three most powerful pokemon on the planet, and we were created by you, who owns a criminal organization under the name of Team Rocket . . . So, why exactly were we created?"

Giovanni paused for a moment. Carefully, he thought his words through. He had to say the right things-it was crucial to form some sort of friendship with them. The other option was to say something wrong and send the Mewtwos into a murderous wrath that would leave no survivors-just like what happened with the original Mewtwo on New Island.

"Team Rocket is always working towards gaining power," Giovanni began. "And you - Mewtwos - there's no greater source of power in the world. I need you in my quest to dominate and rule.

"But of course, I would never dream of giving you nothing in return for your aid," continued Giovanni quickly when he noticed the Mewtwos exchange an annoyed glance. "That would be unfair and would only result in trouble. If you serve me loyally, like an employee, for example, I will reward you handsomely. I can offer you a place to live, complete security and a luxurious life full of anything you want. Not only would you be the most powerful pokemon in existence, you'd be the most well-off. You'd even be living better than most humans. And on top of all that, I will train you so that you can control and focus your powers to the maximum potential."

Giovanni concluded his speech and swallowed expectantly. He waited apprehensively for the clones' reactions. He glanced quickly at Domino. He could tell she was nervous.

Chaos' vibrant yellow eyes scanned Giovanni carefully, searching for a reason to mistrust him. She stared directly into his eyes, hers almost as piercing and cold as his. Finally, her mouth curled into a satisfied smirk.

"Well, it sounds like a pretty good deal," she replied. She crossed her arms thoughtfully. "Yes, it sounds like quite an excellent deal, actually . . . "

"What do you think?" Giovanni asked, directing his question to Orion and Nova.

The red and yellow Mewtwo shrugged and nodded.

"Well, I don't see any flaws in your offer," he said.

Giovanni smiled and turned to Nova, but he felt slightly annoyed when he saw that she didn't look very satisfied at all. Her arms were crossed defiantly and her silver gaze was tinted with glaring skepticism.

"Why should we go with you, Giovanni, when we could leave here and do as we please without having to do your dirty work and carry out your commands?" the purple and black Mewtwo said challengingly. Giovanni was reminded of Mewtwo himself, and it didn't reassure him.

"Nova, perhaps you don't realize this yet, but the human world is a cruel one and would never accept you," Giovanni said flatly, meeting her steely gaze firmly. "You could run out of here and try to make it on your own, but the difficulties would be many. Humans think of themselves as the most superior beings on the planet and treat no other creature with the respect that they probably deserve. You could attempt to live somewhere in the wild, but you would have to say in perpetual hiding. Even then, humans would find you, and take you . . . There's very little left of the world that hasn't been touched by humans . . ."

Giovanni paused briefly to let his words sink in, and then he continued.

"People have accused me of using pokemon solely for my own gain, but the rest of the world is just as bad. They enslave and capture pokemon for the purpose of training them for sport and whatnot. And the pokemon have no say in it whatsoever. Try to imagine what would happen if the rest of the world came in contact with a pokemon that had the ability to overthrow them. I am the only person who truly understands the greatness and potential of your species. The rest of society would understand nothing . . . And people fear what they don't understand and destroy what they fear . . . Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Nova tossed Giovanni's words over in her mind. Her black tail swished behind her as she thought things through.

"So, you're saying," she said, staring at the Boss, "that if we leave here to go live on our own, humanity will capture, enslave or even kill us?"

Giovanni nodded. "Precisely. You're dangerous beings. There's reason to fear you. But if you stay here, you will have safety and anything else you could possibly desire. Stay- Stay, and we all win!"

Giovanni stepped closer to Nova, an eager smirk spread on his face.

"Come, Nova, what do you say?" he asked.

Sighing, Nova replied to him.

"I'll stay here and work for you, Giovanni."

Giovanni's smirk spread with satisfaction. He exchanged a grin with Domino. She looked relieved - he looked triumphant.

"Wise decision, Nova," he told the Mewtwo kindly. "You won't regret it."

"So . . . when do we start working for you?" Orion asked.

"Not for a little while, Orion," Giovanni answered. "First I want you to get used to the place and have you trained a bit. And speaking of training," Giovanni paused and motioned towards Domino, "I think it would be best if you met 009, Domino. She is an elite Rocket who will be assisting with training and maintaining you Mewtwos. You'll be seeing a lot of her, so I would suggest that you all learn to tolerate each other."

Giovanni laughed in an attempt to break the last icy hesitance that hung around the Mewtwos. On any other occasion, Giovanni would have promoted an icy, uncomfortable atmosphere, but today was an exception.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you," Domino said with a nod of her head. Chaos, Nova and Orion greeted her with their own meek 'hello's.

Silence then fell once again in the laboratory. The Mewtwos shifted impatiently, waiting for something to happen. Domino looked at Giovanni expectantly. The scientists felt their minds begin to wander.

"Well, let's get out of this lab, shall we?" Giovanni suggested. "Come on; Domino and I will show you around Team Rocket."

Giovanni turned and began to walk towards the exit. Domino and Persian weren't far behind.

The Mewtwos all exchanged a look of agreement and they, too, followed the Boss of Team Rocket out if the laboratory.

* * *

The crescent moon hung high in the night sky, it's light a beacon in the endless black vault of nightt. It rested lifelessly on a pillow of pale grey clouds, glowing coolly down on Mount Queyna.

Its silver beams fell on the placid lake on the mountain's summit and on the island that floated in its center. Mewtwo sat on one particular cliff jutting out from the island. He sat at the very end of the cliff so that his feet dangled over the edge. His eyes were closed broodingly and his pale skin shone with the same hue of the moon that shone down on him.

The pokemon seemed weary. His shoulders sagged tiredly and his tail twitched back and forth restlessly. He was eerily still and silent, as if he was part of the cliff himself. Slowly, carefully, he cracked his eyes open to look down at the still lake reflecting the night sky. He could see every star in the lake as clearly as if he had been looking at the sky itself. He could even see himself reflected in the liquid night.

A sigh escaped his lips. He closed his eyes once more, returning to his thoughts.

_I cannot sleep . . . I cannot rest . . . I cannot focus . . ._ he thought exhaustedly. _What is wrong with me?_

The feeling of uneasiness and apprehension had been worsening every day, every hour . . . It was getting to the point where he couldn't even sleep during the day and during the night, he wandered around in a daze, barely lucid of his actions.

He had begun to visit this one spot on the island, this cliff that loomed over the lake. It was peaceful here, and dark. It helped ease the discomfort in his mind and the exhaustion of his body.

But not tonight.

Tonight, nothing seemed to help. His mind buzzed incessantly with irrational worry while cold solitude bubbled quietly underneath. Though the clone's eyelids drooped and his muscles ached, sleep seemed just beyond his reach. Nothing was helping anymore. He had bathed and drank from the Purity Springs, he had laid in the soft grass and stared wistfully at the heavens, and he had even flown into the sky briefly just to observe the Johto landscape from the heavens.  
But nothing made him feel better.

He tensed up suddenly and felt annoyance sting his mind when he heard soft mewing noises come from somewhere behind him.

Snapping his head around, he saw the furry and pink bane of his existence gliding towards him, swaying back and forth playfully in the air.

"Mew," Mewtwo hissed, not hiding his annoyance even slightly.

"Good evening, Mewtwo," Mew replied with a courteous nod. By now she was immunized to his malicious tones. "Do you still have that feeling of apprehension?"

"Yes," Mewtwo grumbled.

Mew floated in front of Mewtwo's face, just beyond where the cliff ended. Her blue eyes became even wider than they were before. Suddenly, they were sapphire pools of genuine concern.

"Mewtwo, you look exhausted," she whispered.

Mewtwo growled and literally pushed her away.

"Thanks, Mew. I'll cherish that compliment," he quipped sharply.

Mew ignored the sarcasm.

"Mewtwo, I'm serious. You don't look well at all. I understand you're feeling stressed and uneasy - I feel it too - and don't try to deny that there's other things bothering you. But it's not healthy dwelling on all of it constantly, and in complete silence, and without doing anything about it."

"Mew, go away," Mewtwo grumbled. Mew glanced away awkwardly, something she rarely did. She inched closer to Mewtwo.

"Mewtwo, you can talk to me, you know," she said softly. "I'll be here for you. I'm ready to help you and-"

"Mew, I don't want to tell you anything!" Mewtwo's voice exploded, shattering the quiet serenity of the night. His voice had startled Mew so much that she flipped backwards a few feet. For the first time since she had met up with Mewtwo, she looked tired and on the verge of giving up.

"Mewtwo, why?" she said sadly. "Why do you hold back like this? Why are you hiding?" Her voice wasn't at all the same. Usually it sounded happy and bubbly to the point of being superficial. But now her words were so serious Mewtwo couldn't help but be surprised.

"Mew, I- I'm not hiding anything!" he snarled. "Can't you just leave me alone?! Why won't you stop asking me these pointless, incessant questions?! My thoughts and feelings are my business, nobody else's! So shut up and go away!"

"Mewtwo . . . I only wanted to help-"

"Well, you're not helping! I don't want your pity!"

"Mewtwo, I don't pity you; I was only trying to-"

"That's_ it_, Mew! _GO AWAY!"_

Mewtwo's telepathic voice roared across the entire mountain top and Mew winced from the sheer volume of it. She stared at Mewtwo in disbelief.

Mewtwo stood up abruptly and the intensity of his glare was almost enough to make Mew flinch.

"Mew, I have tolerated your presence for long enough!" Mewtwo snarled, and the icy glint in his eyes was potent enough to freeze a rampaging tyrannitar in its tracks. "Listen closely, Mew, and understand; I do not want your help, or your company, or whatever it is you're offering me and trying to force upon me! I hate you! I hate you more then I can begin to describe! I actually pity this desolate little world because it has had the cruel misfortune of having to endure such a prying, thoughtless, and annoying creature like _you_! I am sick and tired of having you interrogate me and try to unearth my problems and emotions! If I was ever going to share my thoughts with anyone - and I mean anyone - you would be the last person who I would choose!!!"

Mewtwo's ruthless words cut through Mew's invincible surface like sharpened daggers. She was completely dumbfounded by Mewtwo's outburst. Her eyes were wider than Mewtwo had ever seen them, and her mouth hung open slightly. Clearly she was hurt, and Mewtwo was grimly satisfied.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, her voice quiet and wavering. "Really, Mewtwo, I only wanted to help you-"

"I don't care if you're sorry! I don't care if you thought you were helping!" Mewtwo spat. "I hate you! And maybe you never noticed, but I never actually invited you to come to this mountain, which is my home, by the way. And I've never enjoyed having you stay here. So leave."

"Leave? But-"

"LEAVE, Mew. NOW! GO!"

"Mewtwo, please-"

"Dammit, Mew, GO!!!!!"

Before Mew even realized what was happening, a shadow-ball was forming between Mewtwo's outstretched hands. He spun around rapidly and sent the shadow ball hurling at Mew with alarming speed.

At the last moment, Mew managed to throw herself to the ground and curl up protectively. The shadow ball impacted with a boulder, causing it to shatter and send rock debris flying everywhere.

_He would've killed me_, thought Mew, trembling in shock,_ if that shadow ball had hit me, it would've killed me ._ . .

"Why aren't you leaving?!" Mewtwo snapped, his fist clenched and his eyes glowing a vicious blue.

"I - I am!" Mew stammered, taking flight almost instantly. She glided away from Mewtwo as quickly as she could, actually fearing for her safety.

As the ground raced away from her and the stars were rushing to meet her, Mew felt two tears forming in her eyes.

_Oh, Mewtwo, I only wanted to help you_, she thought painfully, the tears rolling down through pink fur. _I tried . . . I really did, but . . . Mewtwo . . . You really are Giovanni's creation . . . _

Mewtwo stood on the cliff, watching Mew fly off, his eyes livid. Eventually, the pink pokemon vanished from sight.

Mewtwo heaved a long, solemn breath. He felt the anger subside in him only to be replaced by a deep weariness that seeped deep into his bones.

_Well, splendid job, Mewtwo,_ he thought acidly. _You chased off the only person who wanted to be your company. Your people skills truly are commendable!_

Mewtwo shook his head angrily and stalked away from the cliff. His feet dragged tiredly across the stone ground and his shoulders sagged as if they were under some burden. The lids were heavy over his eyes.

Mewtwo came to a sudden stop. He felt dizzy from both physical and mental exhaustion. The last reserves of his energy were low, and he was using what was left fast. He could do nothing but sway dizzily on the spot. A wince contorted his face as the frigid grip of solitude clenched his heart . . .

"I need sleep. Badly." He muttered, staggering into a cave.

* * *

End of Chapter III 


	4. Three of a Species

Greetings, readers! Well, first off, I would like to apologize for the incredibly long wait for this chapter. Im very sorry, honestly. I swear that the next chapter wont take as long to be posted. I already have it written out by hand, actually, I just need to type it up!

Anyway, Im introducing a new idea in this chapter. You see, I have a memory thats as good as a goldfish's, and when a fanfic takes a painfully long time to be updated (like this one), I always forget what happened in the last chapter, so then I have no idea whats going on anymore. So my point is, at the beginning of every chapter, I'm going to put a brief summary of the _last _chapter so you'll be good and refreshed for the new one! Like so:

Chapter Three: The three new Mewtwos, Nova, Chaos and Orion, were awakened and introduced into Team Rocket. On Mt. Queyna, Mewtwo forced Mew to flee in a fit of rage...

Shadows Like You

_Chapter IV_ Three of a Species

By: _Cosmic Mewtwo_

The gym was generally a dark room, one that would stay submerged in an inky blackness if it were not for the powerful, halogen lamps that hung from the ceiling and bathed the arena below in artificial light. It was a large room, perfectly designed for the battling and training of pokemon. It was currently empty save for one human and three Mewtwos.

The human was Domino, and she was gazing upon Orion, Chaos and Nova with a rigid expression, one that made it clear that she was there to do some professional training and not waste time. A few months had passed since the Mewtwos had been brought from the laboratories, so Domino was used to training them and they were all as equally conditioned to their routines in Team Rocket.

"All right, lets get started with today's training," Domino announced, pacing up and down in front of the three pokemon. They watched her attentively. "For the past few days, I've been teaching you how to improve your abilities in physical combat, but today we are going to return to perfecting your psychic abilities."

"I think we have the psychic powers down pretty well, Domino," Chaos said with a hint of a smirk. Domino ignored it.

"I realise that," she said coolly, "but because psychic powers are your greatest strengths, there is always room for practise."

Chaos shrugged and her yellow eyes seemed to smile.

"You're the boss."

Domino nodded.

"Right. Lets start by showing me your Barriers," Domino ordered.

The Mewtwos obeyed. The air crackled momentarily with gathering psychic energy, and suddenly the pokemon were surrounded by shimmering, spherical force-fields. Domino smiled as she watched the three focus their psychic powers and execute the attack all in a different way. But then again, they were all quite unique from each other, each with a vastly different personality. Domino knew that the pokemon weren't just simple animals-- they too had their human tendencies-- but the Mewtwos acted so human that Domino often forgot that they were pokemon.

Orion, for example, was a very quiet person, almost to the point of being shy. It wasn't necessarily that he didn't like being social, he just never saw a reason for talking a lot or drawing attention to himself in any way. But he was a hard worker; he battled to his fullest and completed any assigned mission to his best ability. He possessed a certain intensity that said he wasn't to be crossed despite his quiet, mild exterior. Domino wondered if that was why he wore spiked collars on his neck and wrists, to add to that image of intensity.

Chaos, on the other hand, was quite a bit different from Orion. She was far from quiet, and was curiously playful. She was good at battling, but a bit more reckless than Orion was. She always seemed rather smug, too, and she constantly wore a smirk that emphasized her dangerous nature. And on top of that, Chaos's favourite hobby seemed to be flirting. She didn't care about any species barriers, either; she toyed with the male Rockets at any possible opportunity. And humans weren't the only ones she had her eyes on; Domino had noticed the black Mewtwo eyeing Orion lately. But beneath the playful and flirtatious exterior, Chaos was a ruthless Rocket, and she showed her dedication to the organization with a small tattoo of a red R on her upper arm.

And the last Mewtwo, Nova, had yet again, a different, unique personality from the pthers. She was more moody and withdrawn, and Domino couldn't help but be reminded of the original Mewtwo. Although Nova did comply with most of the orders given to her by Giovanni and Domino, she did have a habit of questioning authority when she didn't completely agree with what she was being ordered to do. Her slightly defiant streak did cause some tension between her and Giovanni, and though the Team Rocket leader didn't let on it was causing him some worry.

Domino considered all of this as she watched the three pokemon perform various psychic feats and exercised their powers. Chaos and Orion were currently engaged in a battle of sorts, their purpose to break the others barrier, but Nova trained alone. Domino monitored the training closely and had to wince when a stray Shadow Ball hit the gym's wall and caused the entire arena to shake.

"Well, I certainly hope you four aren't destroying my gym," a familiar baritone voice said in amusement. Domino and the Mewtwos turned to see Giovanni standing at the gym doors and gazing at the group with a smirk.

Chaos smiled right back.

"Oh, no, we weren't destroying the gym," she said, her yellow eyes flashing playfully. "We were merely testing the walls to see if they could withstand our godly powers."

"Indeed," was Giovanni's blunt reply. "Well, I hate to interrupt your training session, but I came here to give you a mission for tonight. Its nothing grand, but it may prove beneficial nonetheless."

Chaos and Orion seemed eager and Nova only gazed at the Boss with mild interest.

"Well, lets hear it," the black-and-purple pokemon said flatly.

"As you all probably know," Giovanni began, "the Pokemon League Finals are coming up at Indigo Plateau soon. Which means that Kanto's best trainers are passing through Viridian City to get there. This is good for us because a lot of them leave their pokemon at the local Pokemon Center to be healed before the long trek through Victory Road."

"And you want us to swipe the pokemon from the Pokemon Center?" Chaos guessed.

"Precisely. Ill be sending you three and a group of Rockets to the Pokemon Center tonight and I want you to steal every pokemon you can lay your hands on, got it?"

The Mewtwos nodded in agreement and Giovannis lips curled into a satisfied grin.

"All right. Then training is dismissed," he concluded and left the gym.

Domino turned to the pokemon and shrugged.

"Well, you heard the Boss. Training's over for today."

The Mewtwos exchanged happy glances.

"Well, I'm heading to the Break Room," Chaos announced. "Anyone care to join me?" She cast a transfixing stare on Orion in particular.

"Sure," Orion answered quietly.

Nova sighed. "Well, I have nothing better to do."

The Break Room (as it was so originally referred to) was nothing extraordinary, but it was comfortable nonetheless. It was originally a room used by Rocket grunts during their breaks in between work, but it had stopped being used years ago for no apparent reason. So the Mewtwo's had decided to claim it, and added some nicer furnishings and a TV to lighten it up a bit. Although they each had their own individual bedrooms and such, the Break Room was a good place to socialize together during training and it was easier to get to from the gym.

Chaos threw open the door to the room and promptly collapsed onto one of the couches. She sighed as she sank into a hill of soft pillows.

"Oh, Orion?" she said, a distinct purr in her voice, to the red and yellow Mewtwo who was currently searching through the Break Room's small fridge. "Could you get me something to drink while you're there?"

"No problem," he answered.

Nova flopped down on the couch next to Chaos.

_You toy with him too much,_ she said telepathically in a way so that only Chaos could hear.

_What am I to say? _Chaos innocently sent back. _Men are just so fun to toy with! They enjoy it!_

Nova cast her gaze at Orion, who was coming over to Chaos with beverages.

_Don't toy with him too harshly. I think he actually likes you._

Nova saw a grin pull at the corner of Chaos's lips.

_Oh, they always do,_ was her coldly playful reply.

Orion suddenly came up to them, drinks in hand. He stared down at Chaos, ignorant to the conversation that had passed between the two females.

"Here," Orion said, as he passed a glass of some carbonated beverage to Chaos.

"Thank you, Orion," Chaos purred, with a seductive wink.

Orion looked away shyly and muttered something along the lines of 'you're welcome.' Nova couldnt believe Orion was falling for Chaos's tricks; to Chaos, love was merely part of a game and the opposite gender were her toys, and Orion didn't seem to notice. Nova almost had to laugh. It seemed ridiculous that the only three individuals of the most powerful pokemon species were behaving in such a manner; Chaos was toying with every male she could find, and Orion was her latest target.

And suddenly, a realization dawned on Nova. She couldn't believe it had never really sunk in before it had always been _there_ but only now did she actually become aware of something. And she wasn't sure whether or not she wanted to realize it.

Of her species, there were only three individuals in the entire world. It was an unnerving thought. Could they even be considered a species? It seemed like they were effectively extinct. Humans had billions of their kind, but there were only three Mewtwos. Nova felt herself shudder at that cold and lonely revelation.

"Hey, Nova, whats up? "Chaos asked casually, noticing the purple and black Mewtwo's discomfort. "You look like someone just told you that you're going to die in a few minutes."

"It's nothing, really," Nova murmured, trying to brush off the coldness that had settled over her mind. "I. . . I was just thinking. . ."

"About what?" asked Orion quietly, his red eyes curious.

Nova glanced away, and shrugged as if trying to show that the topic meant little to her.

I" was just thinking how. . . how odd it is that were the only three of a species. Its just a rather lonely thought."

"A lonely thought?" Chaos laughed. "I think not. It only makes us more valuable, and besides, the humans will keep us company."

Nova shrugged again and stared doubtfully at the floor.

"I suppose."

* * *

It was night at Mountt Queyna, and the air was heavy with a starlit chill. The moons sliver of a crescent grinned down at the mountain and its sparkling waters. The air was soundless save for the waterfalls that gushed from the mountains face. But other than that, nothing moved. The grass, the still pond water, the rocks. . . Nothing stirred. . .

Not even the purple and white pokemon who was curled up beside the healing spring.

The pokemon was coiled up in the soft grass, and his thick, purple tail was wrapped around his slender body. Weary, violet eyes gazed from beneath equally tired lids to the vault of sky above. He blinked slowly as he remained silent and unmoving in his brooding.

The lack of sleep was obvious to see just by looking at his eyes. They were glazed and unfocused, and they were half-covered by heavy lids. It seemed as if Mewtwo wasnt just lying on the ground because he felt like it; he had actually just collapsed there from sheer exhaustion.

A tormented moan sounded from within his throat and he pulled his arms and legs to himself tighter. He wanted to sleep so badly, but it just seemed beyond his frail grasp. . . His mind was still unsettled and restless, and seemed to have gotten worse since Mew had left. Now he was completely alone. Before, of course, he had felt almost insane with loneliness, but now that he had chased Mew away, there was nothing for him but solitude.

Mewtwo shut his eyes tightly and trembled. He feared for his own sanity. He had heard somewhere that if a creature went too long without sleep, they would become delusional, paranoid and disoriented. He also knew that if someone stayed in total isolation long enough, the same things would happen. Already he could feel the effects just at the edge of his mind.

And he was scared.

His mind was all he had. It was his strength, it was his company; he couldn't possibly lose it. He could feel panic surging beneath the current of exhausted thoughts in his mind. He didn't want to succumb to insanity. He didn't want to become a mindless clone.

Mewtwo ignored his worries for once and weakly managed to sit up. He tiredly pulled himself to the side of the spring and gazed down at the still waters. A tired, dishevelled monster gazed back, and Mewtwo was actually surprised by how bad he looked.

Mewtwo cupped some of the water into his hands and splashed it onto his face. He repeated this a few times before actually leaning his head to the spring and greedily lapping up the spring's refreshing water. Within moments, he felt restored and his exhaustion was gone. Or at least it would be for awhile.

The spring's water had remarkable ways of healing illnesses and injuries, but when the body lacked both mental and physical rest, it could only suppress exhaustion temporarily. Mewtwo knew his body and mind would run smoothly on the energy provided by the spring for awhile, but after a few hours, he would feel even worse than before. It was the only way he could find to fight the exhaustion He didn't like it, though. It felt too much like he was depending on some sort of drug.

Mewtwo stood up from the pond, feeling awake again. He rigidly began to walk away from the still water in search of something to distract him from his own thoughts.

* * *

Night stretched on beyond the peak of Mount Queyna, and beyond the region of Johto to cover the cities of Kanto with its black curtain. Viridian City was no exception, and it, too, was submerged in the nights shadows and the crescent moon's glow. City lights drowned out the starlight of the heavens and made everything on the celestial backdrop unnoticeable. So no one noticed when a small, pink, cat-like creature hovered through the sky, near the outskirts of Viridian Forest.

Mew flew slowly through the air, doing her usual flips and twirls as she went. Her pink tail swished behind her and her gentle blue eyes were furrowed with concern. Things just weren't right.

The first thing that concerned the minuscule, omnipotent pokemon was Mewtwo. Although Mewtwo's outburst towards Mew had been rather hurtful, Mew was too worried for Mewtw'os condition to care about her own hurt feelings. Mewtwo was clearly unstable and emotionally distraught.

It made Mew feel sick to think of how miserable the clone was, though he refused to admit it. Mew realized that Mewtwo would be even unhappier now that he was completely isolated, but she knew that she couldn't go back and check on him. She knew that he needed some time to calm down and that going back to him too soon might create another argument, and Mew didn't want anyone to get hurt. So she had decided that rather than worry about Mewtwo, she could go and investigate the feeling of apprehensiveness that she and Mewtwo had both been experiencing; the anxious sense that something wasn't completely right. She had roamed around for awhile until she realized that the inexplicable sense seemed stronger when she approached Viridian City. Thats what had influenced her to go there and see what was going on. And she was worried.

She realized that the feeling she was getting from Viridian City was one that she had known all along, but the distance had weakened it and rendered it unrecognizable. It was actually a sense that psychic pokemon possessed which allowed them to feel the psychic energy emanating from other beings, and the feeling was significantly stronger when the other being was a powerful, psychic pokemon. It was a feeling that Mew had always felt while being around Mewtwo, so it was quite unnerving to feel it so close to Viridian City. And tonight it was noticeably stronger than usual.

Mew silently crept forward in the air, letting her senses guide her to the source of this psychic energy. She couldn't possibly imagine what it could be coming from--- maybe it was nothing more than an exceptionally well-trained Alakazam--- but she was concerned. There was reason to worry when there was a strong psychic aura present in the city that also happened to be where Team Rocket had its headquarters.

Mew flew silently past the buildings and streetlights, completely ignored by the few people still wandering around in the obscure streets that Mew was going through. The feeling of psychic energy was increasing as she went.

Mew then noticed some movement and she could hear urgent whisperings not far away. Mew looked down and realized that she was hovering above a Pokemon Center. Mew squinted her eyes and her pink fur bristled at the sight before her. There was a group of dark figures dressed in black loading poke-balls and a collection of other pokemon items into a van. The red Rs on their uniforms instantly told Mew who they were.

Mew went a bit closer to the Pokemon Center to get a better view of what was going on. The Rockets were too busy to pay attention to her, but Mew's heart was pounding furiously nonetheless. Her senses told her that the psychic presence was inside the Pokemon Center, and she had an intensely bad feeling about it.

And that's when it happened. In one moment, everything seemed to freeze and Mew's world was suddenly flipped upside-down.

Three Mewtwos stepped out of the Pokemon Center.

Mew's eyes widened as much as they possibly could and she couldn't suppress a yelp of surprise. She faltered in the air for a moment and felt as if she were going to lose control all together and plummet to the ground. She felt numb with disbelief. Three Mewtwos. Right below her. And no, Mew couldn't believe it---two were female.

All three of them were carrying poke-balls and crates full of what looked like potions, full-heals, revives, and the sort. One of the females, a black one, heavily shoved the things in the van and began to speak to the Rockets.

"Thats everything, "she said, with the beginning of a smirk. "We emptied the Center. There isn't a pokemon left in there."

The Rockets nodded and quickly closed the doors.

"Well, lets go then,:the yellow and red male said quietly. "Giovanni wont want us lingering around."

The pokemon murmured their agreements and began to climb into the van. But something caught the black one's eye and she froze. She snapped her head around and stared directly at the spot where Mew was floating.

"What in the hell..."said the Mewtwo. The other two pokemon and the Rockets immediately looked over to where she was staring.

"What are you---" the other female began, but a Rocket interrupted.

"Oh my god, its a _Mew!"_

Everyone immediately began talking at once, but the black Mewtwo managed to shout above the rest.

"I'm going after it!" she exclaimed.

Mew could only flip over in surprise as the black Mewtwo lunged into the air in her direction. It took the pokemon only a moment before regaining her senses, and she Teleported away in a flash of white light.

The Mewtwos and the Rockets could do nothing but stare in bafflement.

* * *

End of Chapter IV

Well, I hope that was sort of worth the wait. As usual, comments, compliments, criticisms and horrible insults are welcome. Dont hesitate to review!


	5. The Original

Author's Notes: I think I'll try yet another little idea for this chapter. At the beginning of each chapter, I'll give a small reply to the review you left last chapter. I've been seeing this done a lot lately, and I liked it, so now I'm doing it!

**Phoenix-Risng**: Well, I think this chapter will answer all of your questions. And as for who's next on Chaos's list– well, I can't give that away, but I do have it planned.

**Sabertooth Kitty**: Thanks for your comment! I hope I updated this fast enough!

**Lynny M**: Thanks for the feedback, as always. (Isn't it funny how be both seem to adore each other's work? ) Anyway, I'm glad you thought the scene transitions were good– I had been worrying about that, actually.

**keeper-of-the-triforce**: thanks for the review! I'm glad you think this is cool.

**Fritz Will Get You**: well, here's what you asked for– more!

**Last Chapter Summary**: After learning a bit about the new Mewtwos, they were sent on a mission to rob the local pokemon center and Mew saw them. Meanwhile, Mewtwo was a bit over the edge (no reference to my story _Over the Edge _intended) from lack of sleep.

------------------

Shadows Like You

**Chapter V** _The Original_

By: Cosmic Mewtwo

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Giovanni's lips twisted into a smirk as he eyed the Mewtwos standing before his desk. He let his smug stare graze each of them before speaking.

"Well, I must commend you for a mission well done, you three," he told them. "The pokemon you stole from the Center were quite rare and powerful, for the most part, and many of them will fetch a high price on the black market. And you managed to steal a good number of healing items which always prove to be useful. Excellent work."

"There's something we should probably inform you of, Giovanni," Orion quietly told Team Rocket's boss. "We didn't just steal from the Pokemon Center. . . There was something else."

Giovanni exchanged a curious glance with Domino, who was standing at his side. He then looked at Orion, his expression showing mild interest.

"What else happened, then?"

"We saw a Mew," Chaos answered, her eyes lighting up with a malicious excitement.

"Really?" Giovanni said in surprise, not sure if he could actually believe this sudden revelation. Chaos nodded with a smirk that was all too similar to Giovanni's.

"Yes– a _Mew,_ one of the rarest, most powerful pokemon in the world! Well, excluding _us_, of course."

"A _Mew_. . ." Giovanni repeated, looking away vaguely. He then cast his cutting stare on Chaos. "Where did you see the Mew?"

"We saw it just above the Pokemon Center. It wasn't far from us."

"And when exactly did you see it?"

"We saw it as soon as we left the Center and were getting ready to leave," Nova replied this time. "It looked almost as surprised to see us as we were surprised to see_ it_. But it teleported away as soon as Chaos went close to it."

Giovanni merely nodded at their shocking report.

"I see. Very interesting," he muttered. "Well, then, thank you for your report of this sighting. You are dismissed."

Chaos looked confused. Her golden eyes furrowed in bafflement.

"What, that's it?" she asked incredulously. "You hardly seem to care! Doesn't it matter when a _Mew_ just randomly appears in Viridian City?"

"I'll discuss the matter with Domino, Chaos," Giovanni answered curtly. "Now, as I said a moment before, you are dismissed."

Chaos shrugged and gave Giovanni a sly smile.

"Well, you're the boss, Giovanni."

The dark Mewtwo turned around and smoothly left the office. Orion and Nova didn't have many other options but to follow. The trio left the office quietly and let the door shut behind them.

"Well, I'm going to the gym to train," Chaos announced, as soon as they had entered the deserted hallway. "Anyone care to join me?"

"Sure, I have nothing better to do," Orion said brightly, wanting nothing more than to follow the dark, Mewtwo beauty. Chaos nodded toward Nova.

"What about you, Nova?"

"No thanks," she murmured. "I. . . I think I'll just go for a walk."

The other Mewtwos shrugged and vanished into the air with a Teleport.

Nova, in reality, had no intention of going for a walk. Rather, she wanted to hear what Giovanni and Domino were saying about the Mew sighting. Nova wondered why Giovanni had made the Mewtwos leave so that they couldn't hear the discussion. The purple and black Mewtwo pushed the door open a crack so she could hear what was going on.

"Well, sir, what do you make of this Mew sighting?" Domino asked.

"I don't know, really. . ."

"Do you plan on capturing it?"

"No, of course not. It would be too difficult and just because it was in Viridian City last night doesn't mean it's still here today."

"Boss, don't you find it a bit peculiar that a _Mew_ was in Viridian City, of all places?"

"Yes, I do find that strange, Domino. . . I just don't know to make of it."

"You. . . You don't think this might have something to do with the original Mewtwo, do you?"

There was a heavy pause. Nova blinked in confusion at the term "original Mewtwo." What was that supposed to mean? Was there some other Mewtwo that she was somehow unaware of? Nova only had a moment to toss these thoughts over in her mind before Giovanni was speaking again.

"The. . . original? I couldn't imagine. . . What could he have to do with this?"

"Well, I don't know," Domino muttered. "Maybe Mewtwo has some connection with Mew and he sent it here as a spy. You can't possibly believe that Mewtwo won't find out about Chaos, Nova and Orion, do you?"

"Why would he know? Mewtwo is a bitter recluse. Why would he have any idea what Team Rocket's been up to?"

"Well, I don't know, but what I'm trying to say is that maybe we should stay alert for any signs of the original Mewtwo."

"I'll do as I see fit, Domino," Giovanni said shortly. "There will be no further discussions about this."

Silence fell heavily in the office. Outside, beyond the door, Nova swayed slightly, baffled at what was going on. She had little idea what Giovanni and Domino were talking about, but she was angry. They were keeping something secret. . . Something big. Nova had never been able to bring herself to fully trust Giovanni, and this only made things worse.

Fuming silently, the Mewtwo turned on her heel and left in search of Orion and Chaos.

* * *

Nova reached the doors to the gym and pushed them open furiously. She stepped into the large, shadowy room arena and her silver eyes scanned the area for a sign of Chaos and Orion. Her eyes met the shadows and a silence seemed to fill the room. Nothing. Nova was about to leave and search elsewhere, but a giggle interrupted her senses. She recognized it as Chaos's laugh. 

Nova looked around the battle floor but found nothing. Then her eyes were drawn toward the balcony at the end of the gym where Giovanni usually sat and conducted his battles. It was there that Nova saw Chaos and Orion standing, each of them quite occupied with the other. Chaos was leaning seductively against Orion, stroking his back gently and grinning with her ever-present smirk. Orion, in turn, had his tail lightly wrapped around Chaos and his lips were curled into a sheepish grin. Chaos whispered something to the male before kissing him deeply and pulling him closer. Orion kissed back with much fervour, and Nova could only roll her eyes.

Temptress Chaos had struck again.

Nova cleared her throat loudly to get the attention of the other two Mewtwos. Chaos and Orion abruptly broke away from each other, surprised. Orion looked down at Nova with a blend of shock and embarrassment, but Chaos was quick to regain her cool composure.

"You two are training hard, I see," Nova muttered sardonically.

"Well, you know how it is," Chaos replied dismissively. "You start flirting, one thing leads to another, and then–"

"Listen," Nova hissed, "I have something important to tell you."

"What?" asked Chaos flatly.

"Giovanni and Domino– they're hiding something," Nova answered. "I overheard them talking about another Mewtwo. They referred to him as the 'original.' There's another one out there besides us!"

Chaos and Orion exchanged quizzical looks.

"Another Mewtwo?" Orion repeated. "That can't be. They wouldn't keep something like that from us."

"Maybe they don't want us to know!" Nova said angrily. "Maybe it's something that they–"

"Or maybe it's not even important," Chaos interrupted. "Even if there is another Mewtwo, who cares?"

"I do!" Nova snapped. "I think it's kind of important to know that there's some secret Mewtwo running around that we're not supposed to know about!"

"Well, if there is some other Mewtwo, where is he?" Chaos pointed out.

"I don't know. . ." Nova muttered. "They mentioned something about him being a recluse. . ."

"Well, he probably didn't like working for Team Rocket and ran off, or something," Chaos suggested. "Something simple like that. And because he was such a failure, Giovanni made _us_– the perfect ones!"

"Just because this Mewtwo didn't want to work for Team Rocket doesn't mean he's a failure," Nova retorted.

"Whatever. Your story isn't very interesting Nova," Chaos said impatiently. "Did you mange to get _any _useful information of this 'original?'"

Nova hesitated and bit her lip.

"Well. . . No, not really. . . Giovanni didn't see too eager to talk about it."

Chaos stared down at Nova with a condescending glare.

"That's probably for the better. What makes you think it's okay to eavesdrop on the Boss, anyway?"

Nova growled in frustration. She thought that the other two would have felt the same way as her about another Mewtwo, but they seemed so indifferent and impatient towards the topic.

"Well, Orion, you haven't said anything. What do you think?" Nova asked bluntly.

Orion shrugged.

"I really don't have an opinion on the matter. It's not my business and I don't want to choose sides in this argument."

"What do you mean this is none of your business?" Nova demanded, her eyes narrowed at the red-and-yellow male. "I think it's our business that Giovanni is hiding things from us–"

"Nova, go away and spread you little conspiracy theories elsewhere," Chaos hissed, glaring at Nova darkly. Nova glared back at Chaos, her silver eyes numb with disbelief. Orion could sense the tension between the two and shifted awkwardly.

"Well, Nova, if it's bothering you so much, why don't you go talk with Giovanni?" he suggested, attempting to diffuse the situation.

"Fine," Nova muttered, even though she had no intention of actually going to see Giovanni. Like he'd tell the truth, anyway. Nova turned around and began to leave the gym. She opened the door, and before stepping out, she looked back once more at Chaos. The black Mewtwo was grinning again, that same malicious grin that was turning up rather often lately.

Nova left, feeling angrier than she had when she had first arrived.

Just because they were the only three of their species didn't mean they understood each other.

* * *

Mew rushed furiously through the air above the plains of Johto, and if anyone happened to have been looking skyward, she would have merely looked like an indistinguishable, pink blur rushing towards the setting sun. Mount Queyna's grey rockiness contrasted heavily with the reddening sky, but Mew was too focussed on the task at hand to appreciate the beauty of her surroundings. Her first priority was to find Mewtwo as quickly as possible. She hoped that he had been okay since she had left him. 

Mew cam closer to the mountain's top and was soon skimming over the cool water of the summit's lake. She sped through the air at a blinding speed to the island at the center. It was Mewtwo's favourite spot to sleep, and since the sun was only setting, Mew figured that the clone would be waking up there right now.

She reached the island and circled it a few times, unsure of where to begin searching. She narrowed her dazzling blue eyes and scanned the area beneath her. She noticed something lying by the spring that was roughly Mewtwo's shape. The pink pokemon didn't waste time and dove through the air to him.

Mewtwo was lying still in the grass. Mew floated over to him slowly and quietly. She couldn't help but feel nervous; she didn't know if Mewtwo was still in a nasty mood or not. He had been so emotionally unstable lately that it was difficult for even Mew to foretell his next actions.

Mew crept closer, swallowing any fear she had. But her fear was replaced by curiosity when she realized that Mewtwo wasn't asleep. He was lying still, on his side, but his eyes were only half-closed.

"Mewtwo?" Mew said quietly.

Mewtwo shifted his gaze at Mew suddenly. He scowled at her.

"What are you doing here?" he hissed impatiently. The clone wasn't even sure why he was speaking angrily to her; in actuality, he felt almost relieved to be seeing another living creature for once. He continued to frown at his predecessor. "Well?"

Mew wouldn't answer. She only stared at Mewtwo, her eyes wide with some unreadable expression. Mewtwo felt puzzled when the pink pokemon slowly began to back away.

"What is it?" Mewtwo snapped irritably.

"Mewtwo, you. . ." Mew said timidly. ". . .You look _horrible._"

It was all Mew could bring herself to say. She couldn't believe how exhausted Mewtwo looked. His eyes were so bloodshot and unfocussed that Mew didn't know how he was even awake at all. He was sitting up– Mew figured he didn't have the energy to stand– and his skin was a shade paler than usual.

"Mewtwo, have you been sleeping?" Mew asked, despite the fact that she already knew the answer.

"Not much," Mewtwo muttered. "I don't even know why I can't sleep properly. I'm just bothered by. . . too many things. The only thing that's been restoring my energy is the healing spring–" Mewtwo motioned a hand towards the water "–but its effects are only temporary. Mew, I can't even use my psychic powers properly anymore."

"If you go to sleep and recharge yourself, they'll be as good as new," Mew told him quietly. Mewtwo sighed heavily. He glanced at Mew, frowning slightly.

"Mew, what ere you doing back here, anyway?"

"I have something exceedingly important to tell you," Mew said urgently, suddenly remembering why she was back. "I was in Viridian City–"

"Viridian City?" Mewtwo interrupted in alarm. "Why would you go somewhere like that?"

"That's not important," Mew answered distractedly. "What's important is that I saw three Mewtwos there."

What little colour there was in Mewtwo's face quickly drained away. He stared intently at Mew, his entire body rigid with shock. Mew swallowed before continuing.

"There were two females, and one male–"

"Females?" Mewtwo interrupted again, unable to conceal his all too evident surprise. "How could you tell they were female?"

"They were distinctly more feminine than the male," said Mew quickly. "And I can recognize another girl when I see one!"

"Where did you see them? Mewtwo asked. "What were they doing? Where did they come from– where are they?"

"One question at a time, please," Mew said gently. "I saw the Mewtwos at the Viridian City Pokemon Center. They were stealing from it along with a group of Rockets. So I'm assuming Team Rocket is behind all of this."

"They were stealing from a Pokemon Center?" Mewtwo asked, with noticeable alarm. "Surely it must have been against their own will. Was Giovanni present?"

Mew shook her head.

"Giovanni wasn't there. To be honest. . ." Mew hesitated. "The Mewtwos seemed to be going along with the robbery willingly. They seemed perfectly at ease, actually. I think maybe they're actually content to be employed as Rockets."

Mewtwo could only blink in surprise. He turned away from Mew, unable to think clearly as his head was ringing with a flurry of thoughts.

"That can't possibly be," he said in a calm, even tone. "No Mewtwos would willingly do Giovanni's bidding." The words felt strange to Mewtwo even as he said them. He didn't think he'd ever use the word 'Mewtwo' to refer to anyone but himself.

"Why is that, Mewtwo?" Mew asked matter-of-factly. "Plenty of pokemon and people are willing to work for Team Rocket. Why would a Mewtwo be any different? Why would these Mewtwos share the exact same thoughts and opinions as you?"

Mewtwo fell silent. He didn't want to admit it, but as usual, Mew was right. Why _would_ the new Mewtwos be exactly the same as him? But that thought unnerved him greatly. Why would they be senseless enough to work for Giovanni? And what did Giovanni plan to do with them? There were too many unanswered questions for Mewtwo's liking.

Despite his exhaustion, Mewtwo abruptly stood up.

"We have to go to Viridian City," he announced. "This situation needs to be investigated."

Mew's eyes widened and she shook her head hurriedly.

"No, we can't!" she said worriedly. "What would Giovanni do if he found you? It just wouldn't be safe. . ."

"Then what do you expect me to do?" Mewtwo retorted, his eyes narrowing in anger. "Do you expect me to just sit here and not care about the only other Mewtwos in existence? I don't intend to let this go un-investigated."

"Well, if you–"

"Listen, Mew," Mewtwo interrupted. "I can't take this life I'm living much longer. If I stay alone for the rest of my life, I will literally lose my sanity. I am going to go see these Mewtwos, regardless of the consequences. I don't care if Giovanni captures or tortures or kills me– nothing he could do could possibly be as bad as this."

Mew fell silent. She couldn't argue with Mewtwo. He had a good point, and it was _his _life after all; he could do whatever he wished.

"Well, Mewtwo, do what you think is best," she whispered. "If you want to go to Viridian City, I'll stay out of your way."

> "Thank you, Mew."

Mew nodded and spun around. She began to fly away, but stopped quickly. 

"I just have one piece of advice, Mewtwo," she said, turning to face the other pokemon. Mewtwo rolled his eyes.

"What now?"

Mew grinned warmly.

"Before you do anything, get some sleep."

Mewtwo answered with a curt nod and Mew flew away from the spring. Mewtwo watched as she left before lying back down on the soft grass.

That was one piece of advice that he couldn't reject.

End of Chapter V

Hope you readers like that! Please leave a review– you know the drill. Now I better go get cracking on chapter six. . .


	6. Giovanni's Admirer

**Author's Notes**: I actually don't have anything to say this time. . . Weird!

**Phoenix-Rising**: LOL, I never thought of jigglypuff! (Funny, considering that used to be my favourite Pokemon when I was like, ten) Anyway, I'm sure Mewtwo will be getting the rest he needs– I've been tormenting him quite a bit, haven't I?

**Sabertooth Kitty**: Thanks for your compliments! And yes... When the Mewtwos meet each other. . . That _will_ be rather interesting. Or disastrous. Or both.

**Fritz Will Get You**: Well, here's more! I hope it's even better than the last chapter, which I personally found a little dull. . . I'm my own worst critic!

**Lynny M:** Thank you again for you wonderful comments. So, you think that there's going to be a big, fat, hideous implosion between the Mewtwos? ::grin:: we'll see!

**Black UTAHRAPTOR**: Nope, Shadows Like You is still alive and well! I wish I could update it more often, but other stuff gets in the way and such. . .

**Maia's Pen:** Well, I'm glad you liked what you've read so far! Yeah, I'm rather fond of Nova, too, but I think my fave character here is Chaos. (I have a thing for bad guys, even the ones I've made myself!) By the way, I know I've said this before, but I really like your story "Watch Your Back." Great piece of work!

**Shaladin:** Yes, poor, sleep-deprived Mewtwo. Exhaustion's nasty!

**Lyger**: Well, things are only going to get more interesting! Or, uh, at least that's what I'm hoping. . .

**keeper-of-the-triforce**: Chaos and Mewtwo flirting. . . Interesting concept. . . I _like _it!

**Summary of Chapter Five**: Nova overheard Giovanni and Domino talking about the original Mewtwo, and was angry that Giovanni had been keeping secrets from her. She decided to tell Chaos and Orion about it, but to her surprise, they didn't care. Meanwhile, Mew returned to Mt. Queyna and informed Mewtwo of the existence of the other three Mewtwos. . .

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Shadows Like You

**Chapter VI** _Giovanni's Admirer_

By: Cosmic Mewtwo

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sunlight poured freely into Nova's bedroom, bathing everything in a warm, late afternoon glow. Nova was lying on her bed, on her stomach with her head propped up by her hands, and she was surrounded by various colourful pillows and blankets. Her entire personal quarters were splashed with a refined, sort of elegant taste that made the Mewtwo feel rather comfortable. But despite the comfort that surrounded her and the sunlight that enveloped her, Nova was staring impatiently out of one of her windows, wishing she was anywhere but her room. Orion was sitting in a chair near the corner, looking rather miserable. The male Mewtwo was busy sulking, and Nova was tired of it.

Orion's bad mood was all Chaos's fault. It had happened a few days ago, when Chaos had told Orion that they were no longer an "item" and that they'd be better off as "friends." Nova knew that actually meant that Chaos had just found some other man who she wished to amuse herself with and that Orion had become tiresome. Orion, of course, had been rather insulted to be disposed of like that. He had genuinely fallen for Chaos and was naive enough to think that she had felt the same way.

So he had been visiting Nova for the past few days, not being able to turn to any other friend for comfort. And frankly, Nova was sick of it. She couldn't sympathize with him; she had seen this coming from the moment the two became a couple. It was _his_ fault that he was miserable. How could he have possibly been ignorant enough to fall for Chaos's charms?

Nova stared at Orion. He didn't look particularly sad as if he was going to burst into tears, but more blank and unreadable, which told Nova that he was still dwelling on Chaos. Nova finally snapped.

"Oh, Orion, get over it!" Nova said, turning her gaze to Orion harshly. "You know what Chaos is like! You should've seen this coming!"

Orion could only stare at Nova, seemingly hurt. But his expression quickly became rigid and unfeeling again to conceal whatever sentiment was unfolding in his mind.

"I was just under the impression that she. . . well, liked me," he muttered.

"Obviously she didn't," Nova shot back. She realized immediately that she wasn't being very supportive or understanding, but she was too tired of his sulking to care. "You know Chaos as well as I do, Orion. She doesn't care sincerely for _anyone._"

Orion tried to argue.

"I don't think–"

"Orion, can't you just admit that you judged her poorly and that she had you blinded?" Nova interrupted, her voice ringing angrily through the air.

Orion fell silent and gazed ruefully out the window. He hadn't expected Nova's words to sting so much.

"I'm sorry, but that's just the way I see it," Nova told him, a bit more softly than before. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm heading off to the labs to do a bit of research.

"What for?" Orion asked.

"The original Mewtwo."

"Are you still dwelling on that?"

Nova glared at the other Mewtwo indignantly.

"_You're _dwelling on Chaos!" she retorted.

Orion shrugged, not denying that Nova had a point. Nova nodded briskly before turning around and leaving her bedroom behind. She had investigating to do.

* * *

Despite the fact that it was late afternoon and the sun was only just setting, Giovanni's office was washed in a pallet of different shades and dark hues. The wall of windows behind his desk gave a perfect view of the sun inching below the Viridian City horizon, and the only light in the room came from those windows, creating a nice contrast between light and shadows. The Team Rocket boss was silhouetted where he sat.

The door to the office was slowly pushed open a crack. Someone quietly poked their head through the doorway.

"Oh, Giovanni!. . ." a dark, melodious voice called.

Giovanni, who was completely taken by surprise, nearly jumped back in shock. He spun around to face the door and relaxed when he recognized his visitor.

"Oh, Chaos, it's just you. What do you want?" He frowned at the Mewtwo leaning against the doorframe, annoyed at her for interrupting his train of thought and for surprising him like that. She was dangerously sneaky.

"Well, is it against the rules for a loyal Rocket to come talk to her boss about something?" she answered with a devious grin. The pokemon walked towards Giovanni's desk, her body slinking forward in smooth, fluid motions as usual.

"What is it you wish to talk about?" Giovanni asked listlessly as he scratched his Persian behind the ears.

Chaos sat down in the chair in front of Giovanni's desk. Putting her elbows on the wooden surface, she leaned toward the Boss, her lips curled into her omnipresent grin. Giovanni stared at her disapprovingly.

"I just wanted to come and check something out," Chaos said casually. "A few days ago, Nova claimed she heard you and Domino talking about some other Mewtwo. . . An 'original,' she said it was. Her whole story seemed a bit ridiculous, but I must admit it caught my curiosity. I just wanted to know if there's some truth behind this." Chaos looked at her boss intently, her golden eyes lighting up and emphasizing her smirk. "So, what can you tell me?"

Giovanni blinked in astonishment and horror and felt as if the whole world had just collapsed around him. How could Chaos and Nova possibly know about Mewtwo? They weren't supposed to know _anything _about the original! The couldn't know of any of the unpleasant happenings that had taken place with the first clone. . .They would certainly abandon Team Rocket if they knew what Giovanni had done. . . It was a secret that was supposed to have been kept buried and forgotten.

But Chaos was staring at Team Rocket's leader expectantly, waiting for answers. Although Chaos didn't realize it, beneath Giovanni's cool, almost bored facade, he was thinking furiously to come up with a satisfactory answer. He had no idea how much Chaos already knew, so he had to choose his words carefully.

"Well, it's nothing, really," Giovanni began to lie, sounding completely un-bothered. "You see, before you, Orion and Nova were created, we created another Mewtwo who was simply known as Mewtwo. Unlike you three, he never really liked the idea of working for Team Rocket and only lasted for several days before he lost his cool and ran away. I was upset with the loss and wanted to reassure him that there would be benefits for working for me, but even though I tracked him down and tried to coax him to come back, he blatantly refused. Then he just retreated somewhere into the Johto wilderness."

"And you never saw him again?" Chaos inquired.

Giovanni shook his head.

"No. . . And I can't say I want to. Mewtwo is very reclusive. I pity anyone who dares to seek him out. I've never see a pokemon with such an unpredictable temper."

Giovanni stared at Chaos for a moment, trying to see whether or not the Mewtwo seemed satisfied with his lies. In actuality, Chaos felt the story wasn't completely true. She could usually recognize when someone was lying and although Giovanni did an excellent job of concealing it, Chaos knew it wasn't a full and honest account. But she didn't care.

She hadn't really come to see Giovanni to talk about the original Mewtwo– that had only been an excuse to pay a visit to the office. The black Mewtwo grinned seductively at her boss. No, she had _other _things on her agenda.

"So, Mewtwo left Team Rocket?" she said casually, an undeniable purr underlying her voice. "Why would he want to leave behind a magnificent leader like you?"

Giovanni, who had been idly stroking his Persian a moment before, stiffened slightly. Had Chaos just called him a _magnificent leader?_ This was very unusual; no Rocket had ever complimented him before.

"A magnificent leader, hmm?" Giovanni repeated. He shook his head and smiled thinly. "Well, _that's_ not something I'm told everyday. What are you after Chaos, a raise?"

Chaos chuckled quietly and shook her head.

"Oh, you think I want money?" she asked, still smiling as she stood up from her chair. Giovanni watched as she came around the desk and closer to him. The seductive smirk on her face was clearly evident and Giovanni couldn't help but feel awkward from the way the Mewtwo was staring at him.

"Giovanni, I don't want a raise. I can only do so much with money," the Mewtwo laughed. She came behind Giovanni, and he froze when Chaos put her hands on his shoulders. The Mewtwo leaned down and whispered into the Boss's ear.

"Giovanni, I want _you."_

'Excuse me?" Giovanni exclaimed, pulling away from Chaos's touch.

"You heard me," she said quietly, her voice dripping with charm. She sat casually on the arm of his chair and gently began to caress his leg.

"You heard me, Boss– I'm after _you."_

Giovanni glared at his employee as his initial surprise was replaced by irritation.

"Well, you won't be having me," he snapped as he stood up to get away from Chaos. "I'm very aware of your behaviour with the male Rockets here, Chaos, and I also managed to pick up on your little romance with Orion. I _know_ what your game is, and I refuse to play a part in it. I can't believe you would insult my intelligencewith such a proposition!"

"Well, that's an eloquent speech to cover up for something so simple, Giovanni," Chaos answered with a dismissive roll of her eyes. "I know why you want nothing to do with me– I'm a pokemon. I've run into this argument before."

"Well, it _is _a significant factor!" Giovanni shot back. "It's. . . It's just not natural, it's deranged–"

"You and I both know that Mewtwos are not normal pokemon," Chaos interrupted, coming uncomfortably close to Giovanni. He stepped backwards, but the Mewtwo only came closer.

"Listen, Giovanni," she said quietly, putting her hands on Giovanni's shoulders and leaning towards him. "If you don't want anyone to know you're with a pokemon, I'll be happy to keep a secret. . ."

"Chaos, you fail to understand– I'm not just some. . . some _toy _that you can play around with and discard whenever you wish!"

Chaos leant heavily against the Boss and looked up at him. Her golden eyes were alight with a powerful desire.

"I realize you're not a toy, Giovanni," the black Mewtwo purred. "I don't see you the way I see other men I've had– I really respect you. You're powerful, you're rich, you're intimidating. . . And I _like _it. I want a _challenge_, and you're exactly what I'm looking for."

"This is absolutely ridiculous," Giovanni hissed, pushing her away. "If you don't mind, Chaos, I have work that I need to get back to and I want you out of my office. _Now._ And I don't want to hear another word of any of this, got it?"

"Whatever you say, Boss," Chaos grinned. Giovanni watched as the Mewtwo walked away from him. Chaos reached the door and as she was leaving, she looked back at Giovanni and winked. This wasn't over yet. She didn't have any intention of giving up.

She hadn't left Orion for nothing.

* * *

It was noon on Mount Queyna, and the sun was beating down on the craggy summit, washing it with a hot, afternoon haze. The sparkling waters glinted with reflected light so that it seemed like the spring was covered in minuscule stars, each glittering brightly on the water's rippled surface. Mewtwo watched the afternoon unfold before him from where he stood at the opening of a the cave that led into the healing springs.

For the first time in months, Mewtwo looked rested. When Mew had returned and brought news of the other Mewtwos, Mewtwo's focus and direction had returned, too. He wasn't sure why this news had such a profound effect on him, but he finally found he could sleep again.

But knowing that there were other Mewtwo had also sparked Mewtwo into the closest thing to excitement he had ever felt. He wanted to go to Viridian City immediately to see what was going on. Mew, however, had strongly urged Mewtwo to have a few days' rest before even considering it. Mewtwo had complied, much to his annoyance, but had to admit that after a few days of restful sleep, he felt healthy and alive again and his powers were restored.

And today he was ready to leave, He wanted to go to Viridian City as soon as he possibly could. This wasn't something that could wait.

Mewtwo looked at the afternoon before him and squinted. This was the first time he had been awake during the day for a long time, and his eyes were unaccustomed to the blinding light. As he stared narrowly at the light shining down and glinting off of the water, he remembered why he hated day so much. He turned away from the bright glare to face the dark cave behind him and saw Mew floating in his direction.

"Where have you been?" Mewtwo snapped. "I've been looking for you for awhile now. I want to leave for Viridian as soon as possible."

"Sorry," Mew said playfully, tumbling through the air towards him. "I merely assumed that you were leaving tonight. You hate being awake during the day."

"Yes, well, I was too impatient to sleep," The clone growled. "I figure we might as well leave now rather than wait around."

"Patience is a virtue, Mewtwo," Mew said wisely. Mewtwo scowled at his predecessor.

"Well, what do you suggest, Mew? Would you prefer to stay here and aimlessly loll about around the spring? If that's the case, I'll go without you."

"No, no, I'll come with you. . . No need to be moody."

Mewtwo rolled his eyes.

"Right. Well, how should we go there? Teleport?"

"Viridian's fairly far away," Mew replied with a shrug. "A Teleport that far might tire us out a bit, but–"

"I don't care,"Mewtwo interrupted. "Besides, I don't intend on going to the Team Rocket HQ as soon as we get there. We can rest in Viridian Forest and formulate a plan, first."

"All right, then. I'm leaving this plan to you. This is _your _idea, after all."

Mewtwo nodded curtly.

"Well, are you ready to go, then? He asked.

"Ready when you are."

Mewtwo took a deep breath. He couldn't believe he was going back to Viridian City. He never thought he'd be going back there. . . To Giovanni. . . But the circumstances made this trip necessary. Mewtwo had to go back.

"Well, what are we stalling for?" he muttered. A blue aura began to glow around him and Mew began to glow pink as she followed his lead. Only a moment later the two were gone with a Teleport and Mount Queyna was deserted.

* * *

Nova crept quietly through the hallways of the Team Rocket Headquarters basement floors. Stealthily, her feet padded along the white, tiled floor and she had to squint against the hideous fluorescent lighting. She had never like the basement floors. . . They were so cold and sterile. . .But that was probably why the labs were there.

Nova felt relieved that no scientists had noticed her down there. It was true that Nova– and the other Mewtwos– had earned their rank as elite Rocket agents and were allowed into almost any area in the HQ, but some of the labs were completely off limits to anyone but scientists. Fortunately, the area that Nova was sneaking around in was one full of old labs that had fallen into disuse. Nova knew this and decided to use it to her advantage.

The Mewtwo walked as quietly as she could until she saw a door that caught her eye. It was like all the other standard, laboratory doors, but what was written on it captured her attention. _Genetic Research Lab B1 _glinted at her from a metal plaque and Nova knew this was what she was looking for.

As quickly as she could, Nova telekineticallly unlocked the lab's door,.She quietly stepped in to the darkened room and shut the door behind her. Her hand searched blindly on the wall before finding a dusty light-switch, and the lab was suddenly lit with an artificial glow.

Nova scanned the lab with her cold gaze and she was reminded of the very lab that she had been born into. The only difference was that this lab seemed old, dusty, and everything seemed to be in varying levels of disrepair. There were piles of paper haphazardly scattered around, the computers were out of date and the machinery seemed to be falling apart. In the center of the room, Nova saw a few pillar-like growth tubes that were no different than the one that she had been created in. Some were still standing, but most of them seemed to have broken or just collapsed.

Nova didn't need anyone to tell her that this was one of the labs where pokemon genetics had been studied and the creation of Mewtwos had been researched. Nova picked up the nearest booklet of papers, wondering if she would be able to find any information. She flipped through the pages, but couldn't understand a word of what they were saying. She was definitely smart, but she didn't have a PhD in genetic engineering.

Nova tossed the papers away and decided a computer might be of more use. She wandered over to the nearest computer, took a seat, and turned on the machine. The screen sprang to life and Nova began to search. She scanned through every file she could find, watching intently for the word "Mewtwo" to show up. There was file after file documenting the genetic makeup of numerous pokemon and various experiments that had been performed, but there was nothing about the original Mewtwo.

After several more minutes of searching, Nova finally found what she was looking for, There, on the monitor, she noticed a document simply titled _mewtwo._ She clicked on it instantly and a massive source of information flickered before her eyes. She scrolled down, seeing every picture and reading every word hungrily. The further she scrolled, the more information was revealed, and the wider her eyes became. Nova was soon completely shocked.

Giovanni had a _lot_ of explaining to do.

End of Chapter VI

Well, I think that sorta turned out okay. Review!


	7. Shattered Trust

**Author's Notes:** Well, it was interesting to see everyone's reactions to the whole Chaos/Giovanni plot twist. ::evil laugh:: You guys didn't really think I'd do something predictable, did ya? Nonetheless, it was a necessary part that I couldn't avoid! Anyway, sorry this took awhile . . . I had final exams, and as soon as they were done, I was dragged to my cottage in the middle of nowhere. But it's summer vacation now, so whoo!

**Lynny M:** Well, I was aiming to catch everyone by surprise. I'm glad it wasn't what you expected. I'm feeling bad for Orion, too . . . Chaos is a nasty one, isn't she? And don't feel so bad for Neon God– it's an _awesome _story! (Hell, I like it better than this one . . . )

**Black UTAHRAPTOR:** I'm happy it was worth the wait!

**Phoenix-Rising:** Nova and Mewtwo hooking up. . . . Interesting idea. But I'm not giving anything away. ::grin:: But anyway, yeah, sure, I'd love to see your picture. Don't hesitate to send it to me!

**Keeper-of-triforce:** So, a bit disgusted by the whole Chaos/Giovanni thing? ::laughs:: well, yeah, it is kinda weird, isn't it?

**Sabertooth Kitty:** Well, I'm very happy that you thought last chapter was great. Don't worry, the first meeting between the Mewtwos is coming soon!

**Metal Mewtwo:** Wow, thanks for your lovely comments! All these reviews are so flattering . . . I really don't think this story is _that_ good . . . But anyway, I'm relieved that you think I handled Mewtwo's character well. That's one thing that bothers me about writing Pokemon fanfiction; we know so little about the characters that when I try to add more to them, I'm afraid of completely ruining them . . . But apparently I haven't!

**Jade-Monsoons:** Ahh, nothing like a disturbing chapter to liven things up a bit though, eh? Well, anyway, I'm relieved that you think that the story's quality hasn't diminished with the newer chapters . . . I've been working hard to make sure it doesn't take a negative dip.

**Fritz Will Get You**: Thanks! It's good to hear that I'm doing a "fine and dandy job" with this. Here's the continuation you asked for!

**Sylvia Viridian:** Thank you for your comments! Nova and Mewtwo do have their similarities, don't they? I'm relieved to hear that the angst and drama are good. I'm always so sacred about over-doing it.

**Chapter 6 Summary:** Orion was sulking after Chaos left him, and Nova decided to go to the lab to so some research about Mewtwo. Meanwhile, we learn that the nest unfortunate male on Chaos's list was none other than Giovanni himself! (The Boss, of course, is horrified by this)Down in the labs, Nova managed to uncover a Mewtwo file, and, in the words of Lynny M, "our favorite pair of original and clone (Mew and Mewtwo) alike are taking the freeway to Viridian City . . . Goodness, how suspenseful!"

Last chapter was pretty important, wasn't it?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

**Shadows Like You**

Chapter VII _Shattered Trust_

By: Cosmic Mewtwo

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Nova was in the break room, alone with her thoughts and a heavy silence. It felt peculiar to be there alone. Before, all three Mewtwos had always hung out together in the break room, but things had been changing lately. Orion, for example, had kept completely to himself for the past few days. He was always training in the gym by himself, and Nova figured it was his way of dealing with being left by Chaos.

Nova hadn't seen Chaos much either in the past several days. The black Mewtwo was always busy skulking around the HQ, or visiting Giovanni's office. Nova didn't know what the other female Mewtwo was up to, and frankly, she didn't really care. The tension between the two had yet to be lifted.

But as Nova sat alone in the break room, her mind wasn't thinking at all about Chaos and Orion. Instead, her focus was concentrated on the floppy disk that she had in her hands. On the disk was all the information she had found about Mewtwo only a few days ago in one of the labs. She had been smart enough to save everything onto a disk for future reference rather than just hope she remembered everything. But it would be almost odd to forget the shocking information she had discovered.

She shuddered, thinking about what she had learned about the first Mewtwo. When she had first begun to read the information, it was actually Mewtwo himself that she was appalled by. The accounts of him destroying a laboratory on New Island and murdering a team of scientists in the process horrified Nova, and the photos of the wreckage didn't improve her impression of the original clone. He seemed to be nothing more than an insane monster.

But hen Nova realized that no sentient being could possibly do something like that without having been provoked.

So Nova read on, reading to learn more about what happened with Mewtwo. Apparently, he had stayed with Team Rocket for a while, but ran off in a fit of rage after learning his only purpose was to serve humans.

Nova thought it ended there, but no, it went on. Mewtwo had then sought refuge on a Johto mountain called Mount Queyna and he lived there with pokemon he had cloned _himself _(where or how he did this, Nova didn't know). Up to this point, Mewtwo's story hadn't seemed disturbing, but it was soon revealed to Nova how heartless and cruel a man Giovanni really was.

The documents and reports that Nova had found said that Giovanni and Domino had organized an expedition to recapture Mewtwo. Giovanni came to Mewtwo's home, threatened the clone to come back to him or else the other clones would be subjected to torture and death. Nova had thought that was terrible enough, but it was worse. In an attempt to break the clone's will, Giovanni had used a suppressive sort of machine on Mewtwo that not only disabled his powers, but also inflicted the most agonizing pain possible on Mewtwo's mind and body. This method was meant to crush Mewtwo's will, make him beg for mercy, and shatter his spirit, molding him into a mindless _slave _for Giovanni. The pictures of the whole process were unnerving, and Nova felt utmost disgust when she looked at them. How could Giovanni _do _such a thing? How could he torture and nearly _kill_ a pokemon like that?

Fortunately, some complications arose such as a band of young trainers and an enraged swarm of bug pokemon who jeopardized, and ultimately, ruined Giovanni's mission. Mewtwo escaped, wiped everyone's memory, and was gone.

The rest of the story was of little importance to Nova, except for the fact that a few months after, she had been created, along with Orion and Chaos. Did Giovanni plan to assault them with the same, atrocious injustices? Did he view them, too, as nothing more than slaves to be controlled for his own gain?

Nova couldn't stand to look at the disk of information in her hands any longer. Her trust towards Giovanni had always been shaky, but now it was completely gone. She couldn't help but loathe him for his lies and the things he had done.

But what could she do? There was no point in telling the other Mewtwos. They wouldn't care. She could confront Giovanni about it, but she really didn't like the idea. She had no idea what his reaction would be. Although Nova would never admit it to anyone, she was intimidated by Giovanni. Everyone was. No one was ever comfortable about confronting him for anything. What would he do if he found out that Nova knew about Mewtwo?

_He would completely lose it, _Nova thought. _I know he would! This is his deep, dark secret that I'm not supposed to know about. He could **kill** me to keep me silent . . . _

Nova shuddered. After the recent revelations about the original Mewtwo, she didn't doubt how likely Giovanni was to murder anyone who stood in his way.

Nova stood up from where she had been sitting and began to pace up and down the break room. She had to do something, but she had no idea what. She would turn to Orion for help, but he was still wrapped up in the loss of Chaos. Chaos, too, was out of the question. Nova had no intention of talking to the other female Mewtwo.

_That's it, I'm going to go see Giovanni,_ Nova decided. She stormed out of the break room and disappeared down the hallway of the HQ.

* * *

Giovanni was in his office, as usual, sitting professionally behind his desk. Domino was occupying the seat in front of his desk, and the two were immersed in a deep discussion, probably about a project to be carried out in the future. Domino had just begun to say something when a furious knocking at the door interrupted her. Giovanni and Domino exchanged a quizzical glance. 

"Who is it?" Giovanni asked.

"Nova," an angry, telepathic voice shot back.

"Come in," Giovanni answered.

The door flew open to reveal the purple and black Mewtwo standing in the hallway. Her silver eyes were livid.

"Well, you certainly don't seem too pleased," Giovanni commented casually as he leaned back in his chair. "Come have a seat. What's the problem?"

"Don't you _dare_ use those pleasantries with _me_, Giovanni," Nova spat, her words harsh and stinging like acid.

Giovanni both seemed to be taken aback by Nova's tone.

"What have I done to bring this on?" Giovanni asked with curious amusement.

Nova tossed the floppy disk onto Giovanni's desk. Giovanni lifted an eyebrow at the computer device and then looked at Nova.

"What's this?"

Nova came in front of Giovanni and looked down at her boos with a venomous stare. She put her hands on his desk and leaned forward.

"That, Giovanni," she said, her eyes flicking downwards, aiming at the disk, "is your big, ugly secret."

"Big, ugly secret? I wasn't aware I had one."

Nova leaned closer, her eyes two, cold pools of silver ice.

"You know what I'm referring to, Giovanni," the Mewtwo hissed.

"Actually, I don't," he replied with a clipped tone. Now he was starting to seem annoyed.

"This disk–" Nova picked up the disk and waved it in front of Giovanni's face "– has every last file and scrap of information about the original Mewtwo that has ever been documented. I know who Mewtwo is and what he had to do with Team Rocket. I know exactly what _you _did and how you treated Mewtwo like a useless slave!"

Giovanni stared at Nova, who stared back with an insane fury. This wasn't good.

"Ah, yes. . . Those unfortunates little. . . incidents," he said nonchalantly, trying to conceal the worry forming in his mind. "Where did you find those?"

"I found everything I needed to know in Genetic Research Lab B1."

"So, you disobeyed orders and defied Team Rocket regulations?" stated Domino, her voice edged with disapproval. "Even I'm not allowed in that area. What made you think _you _had permission?"

"Oh, shut up, Domino," Nova snapped. "I know just what role you played in the whole Mt. Queyna expedition! You're no better than Giovanni!"

"Quiet, Nova," Giovanni said, casting a glare at the clone. "It's out of line to talk to a superior in that manner."

Nova seemed to ignore his warning.

"Why did you keep this from us?" she demanded. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Well, frankly, you never asked about it, did you?" Giovanni retorted. Nova's eyes narrowed dangerously. Giovanni sighed and continued to speak.

"I didn't see any point in telling you because I figured something like _this_ would happen," he explained wearily. "The last thing I wanted was to make you and the other Mewtwos upset. I though it would be best to keep this hidden. But rest assured that I would never do anything that I did to Mewtwo again."

"Yeah right," Nova scoffed. Giovanni frowned at the Mewtwo. He was _not_ liking this attitude.

"So I made some mistakes in the past," he said sharply. "I've learned my lesson. You can see that my attitude toward Mewtwos has changed. I give you, Orion, and Chaos all the things and privileges you want! All I ask in return is that you work for me! Why should a few mistakes from before affect anything?"

"Your attitude toward Mewtwos hasn't changed, Giovanni," Nova hissed. "All we are to you are pawns– slaves– with no other purpose than to serve you! We're meant to further your _own _gain. I've suspected this all along, but now I know."

"Fine, Nova, think what you wish," Giovanni said angrily. "But I suggest that you leave this office now before you try to stir up any more trouble. And expect a cut in your salary for this outburst and for breaking rules."

Nova hardly seemed to be listening.

"Whatever, Giovanni, I'm leaving."

The Mewtwo turned around and left the room in a fury before Giovanni and Domino could do anything, and the office door slammed shut behind her. Domino glanced nervously at her boss. Giovanni seemed on the verge of an angry outburst; his eyes were narrowed darkly, and his body was rigid as he struggled to restrain his fury.

"Do you think she'll cause trouble?" Domino inquired.

"What do _you _think?!" Giovanni spat as he stood up from his chair. He let out a heavy sigh of annoyance. "I need a drink . . . "

Domino watched as the crime boss walked over to his personal liquor cabinet. He opened the door and grabbed the first alcoholic beverage he found– wine– and poured it into a crystal glass.

"Well . . . what do you think Nova plans on doing?" Domino asked.

"I don't know," Giovanni muttered before taking a sip of his drink. "But keeping a rebellious Mewtwo here will lead to disaster. I know it. We've seen it happen before. She's too much like the original Mewtwo– she can't be of any use to us now."

"What about the other two?" Domino asked. "You don't think she'll have an effect on them, do you?"

"I can't be certain . . . " Giovanni sighed. "Orion's a very quiet Mewtwo, whom I know little about, so I have no idea whether or not he would side with Nova. Chaos, on the other hand . . . "

Giovanni paused in thought for a moment. Chaos was devotedly loyal to Team Rocket and was infatuated with Giovanni. She was one of the best Rockets the organization had. She couldn't possibly side with Nova.

"Chaos, I think, is safe," Giovanni said with a nod. "Nothing could make her turn on us."

"What makes you so sure?" Domino asked, one eyebrow raised. Giovanni grimaced as he remembered the day Chaos had wandered in and blatantly started coming onto him.

"Don't ask," Giovanni snapped. Domino quickly dropped the subject.

"Well, if we lose the other two, I'm sure we can manage with one Mewtwo," Domino said in assurance. "Chaos always performed the best in training, anyway. Nova, though, was very difficult. I think she disliked Team Rocket from the start."

"Those Mewtwos were expensive, you know. It would be really inconvenient to lose any of them," Giovanni countered, wincing at the thought. "Maybe there's a way to restore some unity amongst hem. I refuse to let Nova just walk out of here!"

Domino shrugged.

"Well, don't look at me for ideas," the girl told him. "After all, _I'm _not in charge of doing the thinking around here."

Giovanni sighed quietly and turned to the wall of windows behind his desk. Viridian City stretched out beyond him and the Team Rocket leader felt very concerned and weary. He took a long sip from his drink, completely emptying the glass of its wine.

He needed to see Chaos. Quickly.

* * *

The rest of the day passed relatively calmly in the Team Rocket Headquarters. Nova had gone to her room to fume silently, and Orion was still training relentlessly in the gym in an effort to forget Chaos. Giovanni was alone in his office, Domino having left to attend to other work. 

But Chaos had no intention of preserving the rather placid atmosphere that had settled over the building. She planned to see Giovanni in his office, a habit that always made the Boss angry and stirred up some tension.

Chaos slunk down the hallways, her dark skin allowing her to blend seamlessly into the shadows. She crept closer and closer to the Team Rocket leader's office, not taking her mind off of Giovanni himself. Chaos had yet to find a way to make him succumb to her charms, but she wasn't going to give up. No man had ever resisted her before, and she wasn't going to let Giovanni be the first. She was intrigued and infatuated with the man, and she lusted for him like a predator thirsts for the blood of its prey. Chaos smirked. It could only be a matter of time before Giovanni submitted to the seductive, predatory Mewtwo.

Chaos reached Giovanni's office and threw open the doors, knowing that barging in without knocking would infuriate him. The black Mewtwo swaggered in with her infamous smirk and stared blithely at her boss for a reaction. To her surprise, Giovanni merely looked up from his paperwork, seemingly unfazed and undisturbed.

"Try knocking next time, Chaos," he muttered flatly as he dropped his pen and shoved the paperwork out of the way.

Chaos crossed the room and sat in front of Giovanni's desk. Giovanni stared at his employee and admirer with a bored expression.

"What brings you here today?" he inquired, meeting her playful gaze with his own dangerous stare.

Chaos leaned across the desk until her face was only a few centimeters away from Giovanni's. She reached across and loosely pulled on his tie, forcing him closer to her.

"Giovanni, you know what I want," she whispered, winking with one golden eye.

Giovanni delicately moved away from the Mewtwo, straightening his tie and maintaining a calm demeanor.

"Are you referring to that proposition of us being lovers?" he asked flatly.

"Yes, Giovanni," Chaos purred, "and it's taking a long time to persuade you. . . But like I said, I was looking for a challenge . . . "

Giovanni flashed the Mewtwo a smirk that was equally as dark and playful as her own. He leaned towards the Mewtwo as casually as she had a moment before and softly whispered into her ear.

"Well, Chaos, I accept your proposition."

Chaos's eyebrows rose slightly in surprise. Giovanni's sudden acceptance came as a shock after all the time she had spent trying to sway him. But Giovanni's decision wasn't as spontaneous as Chaos thought; The Team Rocket leader had actually been thinking over the proposition all day, ever since his heated argument with Nova. Because of Nova's discovery of the original Mewtwo, Giovanni no longer felt that his control over his creations was secure. Nova was bound to stir up trouble and she was probably willing to rouse a rebellion among the other Mewtwos if she was anything like her defiant predecessor.

Giovanni was willing to grasp any opportunity that could get even one Mewtwo on his side, and Chaos's desire to be his lover could work to his advantage. If he had to be her source of amusement so that she would be an ally, then so be it. It was a coldly manipulative way to use the Mewtwo, but Giovanni couldn't really feel a shred of guilt for it. Chaos had probably manipulated more people during her short existence than Giovanni had in his life.

"You're accepting my proposal, just like that?" Chaos asked, almost skeptically. "What brought this on all of a sudden?"

"Well, why not?" Giovanni answered with a shrug. "I guess there can't really be any harm to it, and I'm quite convinced that I won't be bored with you."

Chaos chuckled softly and grinned at her boss, teasing him with a seductive wink.

"Oh, rest assured, I'll keep you entertained.

Before Giovanni could even respond, Chaos had leaned forward and was kissing him deeply on the lips. It was a few moments before Giovanni could relax to Chaos's advance, but gradually he became accustomed to Chaos's mouth sealing his. The Mewtwo pulled herself closer and gripped him tightly, savoring her triumph over Team Rocket's boss. Things were already starting to get heavy– and fast.

_Well, I suppose this won't be **that** bad. . ._Giovanni thought to himself.

* * *

The day was creeping by rather slowly in Viridian Forest, and as Mewtwo observed his foliage-covered surroundings, he couldn't deny how bored he was. 

The clone had arrived in the forest only a day before, with Mew as company. As soon as they had arrived, they needed to rest after the teleport, but today they were replenished and ready to get to work. Mew had decided to explore the forest and talk with the local pokemon in hopes that they had information about the Mewtwos or Team Rocket in general. Mewtwo had decided he would think up a plan on how to get into the HQ and see the Mewtwos while Mew was away.

But to Mewtwo's horror, his mind was blank. Not a single idea or wisp of inspiration was flowing through the matter and neurons contained within his skull. Thinking and planning were usually among his most prominent strengths, but today his mind was completely empty. Vapid.

Mewtwo sighed in annoyance and shifted his body where he sat. The pokemon was perched on a thick bough that was part of a particularly large tree, and his back was leaning against the massive trunk. From his height, Mewtwo had a very good view of the bustling city that was Viridian. The clone wrinkled his nose in disgust after observing the city for only a few moments. The only thing things he could see in the town were crime and bad memories.

_Mewtwo, this is the most poorly planned endeavor you've ever embarked upon!_ He thought angrily to himself. _You should have just stayed on Mount Queyna rather than show up in Viridian City without even a flimsy beginning of a plan!_

The clone shook his head in exasperation. He couldn't deny that he had no idea where any of this was going. Even if he _did_ manage to get into the Team Rocket HQ and see the Mewtwos, what would he do then? Would he ask them to leave and join him? Would they even _want _to meet him? What would Giovanni do? Mewtwo shook his head as if shaking away the questions themselves.

_Do I even need a purpose or direction in this? _He wondered. _Frankly, as long as I get to see these Mewtwo_s, _I'll be satisfied. What does it matter what does Giovanni thinks or what will happen afterwards?_

Mewtwo leaned back comfortably, trying not to care that he had no plan or direction. He was staring lazily at the forest's lush canopy of leaves when he noticed something small and pink flitting through the branches. Mew.

"Hello, Mewtwo!" Mew said brightly as she flew towards him, darting around like a feline hummingbird. Mewtwo felt weary just watching her aerial gymnastics.

"Hello, Mew," she said flatly. "Did you manage to acquire any information from the local pokemon?"

"Not really," Mew sighed. "I asked anyone I could find– pidgey, butterfree, noctowl, you name it– but everyone seemed very edgy about the topic of Mewtwos and Team Rocket."

Mewtwo raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"Team Rocket has a lot of activity in these woods, you know," Mew stated. "They're smart enough to exploit the vast natural resources and it's a suitable place for capturing large amounts of pokemon. Apparently, the Rockets have been here on several occasions lately and managed to catch a lot of wild pokemon with the help of the Mewtwos. The pokemon around here are terrified of them. A lot of them have been rather disturbed by the presence of you and me, actually."

Mewtwo nodded and looked away bitterly.

"So. . . The Mewtwos came in here and captured pokemon for the Rockets?"

"Yes."

"Willingly?"

"It appears so."

Mewtwo gritted his teeth in anger. The idea of a Mewtwo actually being a loyal Rocket was too bizarre and disturbing for Mewtwo to grasp.

"Mew, I still can't understand why a Mewtwo would _work _for Giovanni!" he said, his voice rising with disbelief. "It doesn't make any sense!"

Mew shrugged, but didn't reply. She disagreed with Mewtwo's view of how ridiculous it was for a Mewtwo to be working for Team Rocket, but she had no desire to start an argument.

Mewtwo stood up, impatiently, and leaned against the trunk of the tree for support as he balanced on the tree's branch. He was staring at the ground with a subtle hint of worry in his eyes.

"Mew," he said quietly. "Do you think the other Mewtwos will even _want_ to see me? What if they're so thoroughly brainwashed that they try to turn me over to Giovanni or something?"

"Well, as long as you plan on how to get into the HQ and such, I'm sure we'll be fine." Mew paused when she noticed the guilty expression on Mewtwo's face. "You _do_ have a plan. . . Don't you?"

"Well, it's in the making," Mewtwo lied quickly. "I was thinking that we could sneak into the HQ, track down the Mewtwos, talk to them and see what's going on and, if something goes wrong, we'll escape quickly and head back to the forest."

Mew only blinked in response. Mewtwo rolled his eyes in frustration.

"You hate it, don't you?"

"I didn't say that!" Mew countered.

"Maybe not, but you were _thinking_ it," Mewtwo muttered.

Mew ignored her clone's bitterness and flipped closer to the tree Mewtwo was standing in. She perched comfortably on a small branch close to Mewtwo's head. The pink pokemon settled against the wood with a satisfied sigh before aiming her innocent gaze towards Mewtwo again.

"Well, when do you plan on going to the HQ?" she asked.

"Tomorrow."

"So soon?" Mew asked, her eyes widening to look like two pools of liquid sapphire.

"Why not?" Mewtwo demanded. "Do you have a better idea?"

"Well, I just don't think it's wise to go without a plan–"

"Then stay here," Mewtwo retorted dismissively. "I can go alone. I don't really need you, to be honest."

Mew fell silent and didn't bother arguing. There was no sense contradicting Mewtwo; once he intended to do something, there were few things in existence that could stop him from doing it.

"No, no, I'll come with you no matter what you decide to do," she answered quietly. "But why do you need to go so quickly? Are you eager to meet the other Mewtwos because they're your own species, which makes you think that they may understand you better than anyone else? Or maybe it's because this is the only chance you've ever had of actually finding some companions–" Mew paused, and with a devilish smirk, added, "or even a mate!"

Mewtwo growled audibly. He couldn't stand it when Mew read him so flawlessly using as little effort as possible. Mewtwo despised being analyzed, but Mew was wonderfully talented at it.

"Mew, could you go away for awhile?" the clone asked tiredly. "I'd like to be alone for awhile to think . . . _Without _you and your clever little remarks!"

Mew grinned widely and flipped in the air, mewing as she did. Mewtwo found it disgustingly cute.

"As you wish, Mewtwo!" Mew said brightly. She spun around and began to fly off through the lush treetops of Viridian Forest. As she distanced herself from Mewtwo, she turned her head briefly to look back at him, her expression one of faint concern.

_So we're going to the Team Rocket Headquarters tomorrow . . . _she thought solemnly to herself. _I certainly hope this is a good idea . . . _The pokemon shook her head and turned away, focusing again on flying.

Soon she would know.

* * *

End of Chapter VII 

Before you run off or review, please go see my drawing of Mewtwo, Nova, Chaos and Orion. (there's a link on my profile; I couldn't get it to work here --') Anyway, go see it if its of any interest!


	8. Meet the Relatives

**Author's Notes**: No author's notes today other than this is probably the longest chapter yet . . .

**Lynny M**: Yes, I think the plot is continuing rather nicely, but for how much longer, I don't know. I have my plans for future chapters in the story, but we'll see how well that goes! For the meantime, here's chapter eight!

**Phoenix-Rising**: Ah, that's okay if you couldn't draw the Mewtwos– it took me _forever _to know how to draw them, and there's still room for improvement . . . Anyway, I agree, Chaos is indeed living up to her name. I chose it for a reason!

**Fritz Will Get You**: Thank you! It's nice to know that I'm doing more than a fine and dandy job!

**Genocideking Archfiend**: Genocideking Archfiend: Heheh . . . Yep, Chaos is the flirtatious one, all right. Poor Orion, but you're right; he should've seen it coming. And the first meeting between the Mewtwos is on the way!

**Sylvia Viridian**: I'm very relieved that you enjoy the scenes with Mewtwo. I felt that I was putting too much time and concentration into every thing else that was going on, and I worried that the parts focussing on Mewtwo were being neglected. But I'm glad you liked them!

**keeper-of-the-triforce**: Well, I'm glad you liked my picture, though my stupid scanner made it look kind of funny, I found. Ah well, here's the next chapter!

**Sabertooth Kitty**: Heh, you've been anxious to see Mewtwo's first meeting with the other three? I've been anxious to write it! Though I'm paranoid that it might not turn out as I want it to. . . Ah well, it's going to happen sooner or later!

**Zhen Lin**: Thank you for the advice! I agree with you, actually, and I have been planning on focussing on Orion more in future chapters. I think it will give him the development he's lacking.

**Metal Mewtwo:** Thank you for your comments! And in response to what you said about Mewtwo being a "go right on with guns a blazin" sort of guy, I suppose you could be right. That's the trouble with obscure characters like Mewtwo; you can never really be sure how they'd react to some situations. I took your idea into consideration for this chapter and tried to make him a bit more reckless. Whether or not it worked is up to you to judge!

**Chapter 7 Summary**: Nova was furious about all the secrets Giovanni had kept concerning the original Mewtwo, so she decided to confront the Boss about it. An argument ensued. Giovanni became concerned that his control over the Mewtwos was slipping, and that Nova was bound to start rebelling, so he decided to accept Chaos's 'offer.' Then they . . . er . . . snogged a bit. ::audience grimaces:: Meanwhile, Mewtwo was in Viridian Forest and had trouble coming up with a plan of action, so he and Mew decided to just break into the HQ– completely planless.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Shadows Like You

Chapter VIII _Meet the Relatives_

By: Cosmic Mewtwo

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Team Rocket HQ stood rather inconspicuously at the edge of Viridian City, its windows gleaming in the morning sun. It didn't seem that large for the base of a massive criminal organization, but it would be a rather foolish idea to draw attention to such an important hideout. Most of the Team Rocket related areas of the building were concealed below ground, and the fact that the building doubled as the Viridian City gym drew attention away even further.

"Rather nice building, I'll have to admit," Mew commented with a nod. She and Mewtwo were hiding close to the building, trying to figure out their next move.

"Yes, it's even nicer than the one I blew up several years ago," Mewtwo replied, unable to suppress a smirk. "Though I'm sure this whole thing was built with illegally acquired money. Not that I really care, though. I can't say I really give a damn about humans and their obsession with currency.

Mew turned her gaze away from her clone and stared at the building.

"Well, what do we do now?"

Mewtwo fell silent for a few moments as he contemplated an answer. He turned to Mew.

"We go in," he said bluntly.

"Well, yes, but do we have a plan for what happens after that?"

"Not really, no. I'll figure it out along the way. Trust me."

"Mewtwo, I really do think we should put a little more thought into this–"

"Leave it and let _me_ do the thinking!" Mewtwo snapped. He glared intensely at Mew, clearly irritated and tired of her complaining. He himself couldn't deny how illogical it all was, but logic and common sense had nothing to do with this mission. As much as he didn't want to admit it, this was a mission that was completely fueled by his emotions, ones he wished he didn't possess. The whole idea of coming to meet the new clones had stemmed from his feelings of loneliness, the dull ache of solitude that had tormented Mewtwo for his whole life. It was a pain that he would risk everything to get rid of. If Mew couldn't understand that, that was _her _problem.

"I'm going in," he muttered. "I honestly don't care whether or not you like the idea."

Mew sighed.

"Fine, Mewtwo, go on. I understand," she said quietly, but realized that Mewtwo had already teleported away. He was already in the building.

"Always the reckless youngster," she mused, and she, too, vanished.

* * *

Nova stepped quietly into the gym. Halogen lights beamed down from the ceiling and she had to squint against the blinding glare. The room was silent. As usual.

Nova was at the gym for training, and seeing as Domino wasn't even there, she was early. Even though Nova was still completely furious at Giovanni and Domino, she didn't see any point in skipping her training sessions. She realized that it was important to develop a good grasp on her psychic abilities, so she wasn't going to pass up any opportunity to train. A more productive method of rebellion could be found later. She had actually considered running away from Team Rocket, but had decided against it. Giovanni was right; the rest of the world was a harsh, cruel place, and she was safe and provided fo if she worked for Giovanni. It was sickening and demeaning, but she didn't have any choice. She couldn't run away from Team Rocket. Not yet.

Nova scanned the gym once more and nearly jumped when she noticed Orion had been there all along. He was warming up with a jog around the gym, but his footfalls had been so silent that Nova hadn't noticed him.

"Good morning, Orion," she said blandly.

"Hello, Nova." The Mewtwo quietly jogged over to Nova and came to a gradual stop. Nova looked around for Chaos, but found no one.

"Where's Chaos? You two always used to come here early together before you– uh. . . broke up. . ." Nova trailed off uselessly, instantly regretting what she had said. Orion looked away, a frown evident on his face– clearly Nova had struck a sensitive subject.

"Chaos is with her new lover," Orion muttered sourly.

"She has one so soon?" Nova said in surprise. "Who?"

Orion glared bitterly into the dark emptiness of the gym. He didn't look pleased.

"It's Giovanni," he growled. "Would you believe that? Chaos left me for the _Boss._ I don't even know what to think anymore."

"Giovanni's doesn't seem the type," Nova said skeptically. "Are you sure they're together? How would you know?"

"I _saw_ them," Orion said quietly, avoiding any eye contact with Nova. "I was walking around yesterday and I happened to walk by the office. They were all over each other."

Nova's eyebrows rose incredulously.

"Seriously?" she exclaimed. "Is it just me, or is the image of those two making out _really _weird and almost disturbing?"

"It got worse," Orion continued. "Later on, when I was sitting alone in the break room, I saw the two stumble by. Chaos was giggling and saying something about finding somewhere with more 'privacy' than Giovanni's office. They were both pretty occupied with each other."

Nova snorted in amusement.

"Well, I think they make an adorable couple," she said in a falsely sweet voice. "I mean, they're both such cold, manipulative people! They're _perfect_ for each other!"

"Just because _you_ hate Chaos doesn't mean _I_ do, Nova," Orion snapped. "I still care for her!"

"Which shows what a pathetic fool you are!" Nova was quick to retort. "You're still infatuated with her even though she tossed you away like a broken toy? God, I can't _believe_ you're still under her little spell!"

"You wouldn't understand!" Orion said, his voice quiet and hurt. "Just . . . Never mind. Drop the subject."

Nova shrugged and looked away vaguely. She then shifted uncomfortably, as if suddenly feeling uneasy.

"Hey, Orion?" she asked. "Do you . . . sense something?"

Orion froze for a moment. He nodded slowly and looked knowingly at Nova.

"Yes, I do," he murmured. "It feels like . . . like some unfamiliar, psychic force is nearby. A strong one."

"Yes, I feel the same thing," Nova replied wonderingly. She paused in concentration, wondering for a moment, but shook her head.

"Maybe a Rocket with a really high-level espeon just went by or something . . ." The explanation seemed pathetic to Nova even as she said it, but she couldn't really think of a more sufficient answer. Orion turned away from Nova, seeming to have already lost interest in the matter.

"I'm going to start training," he muttered, and began to walk across the gym and away from Nova. Nova payed little attention to him, focusing again on her psychic intuition which was beginning to bother her a great deal.

She knew something was going to happen.

* * *

Domino's white boots thudded quietly against the hallway's tiled floor as she walked in the direction of the gym. Silence. Empty corridors. It was morning in the HQ, and it seemed as if the busy rush of the Rockets had yet to begin. Domino knew she wouldn't be late for the Mewtwos' training.

Everything seemed normal, but Domino couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had been bothering her for a few minutes now. It felt as if someone was around who shouldn't be, an enemy Domino wanted nothing to do with. She didn't like it at all.

Finally, Domino came to a halt and turned around, succumbing to her paranoia. The hallway behind her was quiet and empty, void of any living being. She was alone.

_I must be losing it,_ she thought grimly. _Or maybe I just need some more sleep . . ._

The Rocket turned around and continued walking toward the gym. The apprehensive feeling didn't leave her.

Domino walked for only a few moments before she froze abruptly_, _her body suddenlyrigid and her purple eyes wide and alert. Being one of the best agents Team Rocket had to offer, Domino's senses were exceptionally sharp, and right now they were telling her something was seriously wrong.

Someone was _behind_ her.

"Well, if it isn't 009," a smooth, telepathic voice hissed. Domino didn't even need to look to recognizewhose voice it was. But she spun around anyway, overcome by bafflement and shock. The tall pokemon before her couldn't repress a dark smirk and the Rocketstood still, speechless. After a few moments of silence, she finally managed to find her voice.

"Mewtwo!" she said breathlessly. _"What are **you** doing here?!"_

The clone stepped toward herm his gaze cold and unfeeling.

"I'm here to see the Mewtwos."

Domino's eyes opened wider, and she shook her head in confusion.

"How do you know–"__

"Don't ask questions!" Mewtwo snapped, and Domino was vaguely reminded of being ordered around by Giovanni. "Take me to them. Now." Mewtwo paused for a moment, glared, then added, "And no one will get hurt."

Domino didn't like this. Situations were rarely out of her control, but now she was powerless to the psychic pokemon glowering down at her. She could refuse to carry out his commands, but she didn't want to take her chances. The two weren't exactly friends to begin with, after all.

"Follow me," Domino muttered, her teeth gritted. She turned around, feeling awkward from taking orders from Mewtwo, and began to walk down the hall. Mewtwo followed, and Domino only now noticed that there was a Mew hovering beside him. She vaguely recalled the time when Chaos and the others had reported seeing a Mew near the Viridian City Pokemon Center . . .

Mewtwo strode soundlessly behind the blonde Rocket, and Mew was close behind. He knew he should be focusing on his next plan of action, or on what he should if Domino suddenly retaliated, but his mind was elsewhere. He couldn't stop thinking about how different he suddenly felt.

For months, Mewtwo had been consumed by a ferocious loneliness that had eaten steadily at his mind and soul, and nothing would make it go way. No matter what he did, where he went, or how much he lashed out, the pain only grew. The icy bitterness of solitude throbbed in his very core incessantly, and spread through his mind like a cancer. It was nothing short of torture.

But suddenly things felt different.

Although the loneliness was still there, it was so much less powerful. It felt like a fog was gradually dissipating from his mind with each step he took down the hallway. He couldn't remember when his mind had felt so clear; the thought of meeting another Mewtwo was far more soothing than he had imagined. He had never felt such intense anticipation.

"Are we almost there?" Mewtwo snapped, coming quickly out of his reverie. "Where are we going, anyway?"

"We're going to the gym," Domino shot back, equally as irritated. "The Mewtwos are there for their daily training."

"Daily training?" Mewtwo repeated. "What's that?"

"It's where they're taught how to fight and use battling techniques, obviously. And no, it's _not _cruel and inhumane."

"Why are Mewtwos working for Team Rocket without question, anyway?"

Domino gave the clone a cutting stare, and their unfeeling, amethyst eyes locked.

"Just because they're Mewtwos doesn't mean they're exactly like _you,_" she answered sharply.

Mewtwo growled in annoyance. That was exactly what Mew had said, and he still didn't like it. The Rocket and the two psychic pokemon continued walking until Domino cam to a halt before two, large metal doors.

"Here we are," she muttered flatly, and she began to push a door open.

Mewtwo stared at the gym's entrance, his eyes large with awe and anxiety.

"The Mewtwos . . ." he whispered. "They're . . . They're in that gym?"

"No, I just felt like coming here to admire the entrance," Domino answered sarcastically, earning a glare from the clone. She pushed open the doors and silently stepped inside. Mewtwo and Mew weren't far behind.

It took Mewtwo a few moments to become accustomed to the arena's semi-darkness. There was a harsh contrast between the shadowy blackness and the glare of gym lights, but gradually his eyes adjusted. He didn't even get a chance to look for another Mewtwo before a voice broke into his mind.

"Domino? Who's that with you?" a telepathic voice asked. It was female. Mewtwo's heartbeat seemed to stop and speed up all at the same time.

He turned his gaze to the source of the voice and felt his breath catch in his throat. He saw a Mewtwo whose soft, feminine features distinctly decided its gender as a female. Her tail was black, her body was purple, and Mewtwo took notice to the ring markings around her upper arms and tail tip. Mewtwo's heart kipped again when he noticed the male Mewtwo standing behind her. He was a strong-looking male with a red tail, yellow body, and spiked collars on his neck and wrists. Mewtwo stood still for what felt like an eternity, staring, feeling as if he was frozen in some surreal dream . . .

But Mewtwo was brought back to reality when the male spoke.

"Domino," he said quietly, staring at Mewtwo with an expression of bafflement. "Who . . . Who is that?"

The female's gaze was locked on Mewtwo. Mewtwo felt almost awkward under the intense stare, but he managed to stare back, maintaining his cool, powerful demeanor.

"It's– it's _you_," the black and purple Mewtwo whispered breathlessly. Her head shook back and forth slowly. "Orion, it's the _original._"

"The original?" Orion echoed. "You mean the one you told me and Chaos about?"

The female nodded. Mewtwo, however, looked from one to the other, slightly confused.

"You . . . You know of me?" he asked, somehow managing to find his voice.

"Yes . . ." she answered. "It's a long story . . ." She stared at Mewtwo hesitantly before speaking again. "What are you doing here? What's going on?"

"I'd like to know myself," Domino muttered. "And I'm sure Giovanni will, too, when he learns of this."

Mewtwo didn't know how to answer; he didn't know where to begin. He looked at the female, whose name he still didn't know, and answered.

"Well, I heard that there were other Mewtwos I hadn't known of here in Team Rocket," he replied. "I felt compelled to come investigate. It was Mew here who informed me of your existence; she claimed she saw you at the pokemon center."

"That's right, we saw her, too," Nova replied.

Mew nodded.

"Yes, yes," she said, "but I could've sworn I saw _three _of you. Where's the other Mewtwo?"

"Chaos . . ." Orion muttered, and the anger in his voice was undeniable. "She's probably with Giovanni right now."

"Giovanni . . ." Mewtwo murmured, unable to suppress a grimace. Simply uttering his previous oppressor's name was enough to revive unsettling memories that had otherwise been forgotten.

Then, as if on cue, the gym doors opened. Mewtwo, along with everyone else in the room, turned to see who the visitor was. Mewtwo's eyes widened in shock and time itself seemed to slow down until it didn't seem to exist at all. A black Mewtwo, another female, had entered, and Giovanni was at her side. What shocked Mewtwo was that Giovanni wasn't only at her side, his arm was resting around her waist. The Mewtwo, in turn, was pressed up as closely to the Boss as possible and she was eyeing him with an undeniably seductive stare. Giovanni was grinning, but it wasn't the familiar, arrogant smirk that Mewtwo had come to recognize and loathe; his grin seemed to be one of _affection_, and Mewtwo couldn't help but be unnerved by the entire scene. Mewtwo wasn't alone in his disturbed thoughts, either; everyone else in the gym seemed to be staring at the couple with an equal amount of shock.

Time then seemed to return to its normal pace, and Giovanni and the black Mewtwo broke away from each other abruptly. Only a moment later, Giovanni noticed Mewtwo, and his dark eyes widened.

"What the hell is this?!" he exclaimed, his voice ringing with both shock and anger.

"Hello, Giovanni," Mewtwo said stiffly, eyeing the Team Rocket leader with a contemptuous stare.

"Oh, who is this?" the black Mewtwo said with an unnerving and devious grin. She came toward Mewtwo until she was uncomfortably close, and Mewtwo felt incredibly awkward as her golden eyes looked him up and down. If Mewtwo had been paying attention, he would have noticed that Giovanni didn't seem pleased either; the Boss was frowning at the two, almost jealously, as if he disapproved of Chaos's behavior.

"Oh, you're a gorgeous one, whoever you are," she said in a low, sultry voice.

The female ran her hand down Mewtwo's arm, but Mewtwo pulled away abruptly. There was something he didn't like about her at all. He wasn't sure if it was the dangerous grin, the penetrating stare, or the abominable red 'R' tattooed on her shoulder, but something about her unnerved Mewtwo.

"What are you doing here, on Team Rocket property, without my permission?" Giovanni barked, advancing ominously upon Mewtwo. The clone stood his ground and stared coolly at the furious human.

"Why are you so upset, Giovanni?" he retorted. "Before you would have begged to have me back here."

"Whoa, slow down," the black Mewtwo, Chaos, interjected. "What's up between you and Giovanni? Are you the 'original' Mewtwo? Really . . . What the hell's going on?"

"Yeah, I'm kind of lost, too," Orion murmured sheepishly. "Um, I know who you are, I think, but I know nothing about why you and Giovanni seem to hate each other."

Mewtwo shifted, hesitating to answer. Could he really tell them the whole story?

"Well, go on, Mewtwo," Giovanni said curtly. "Why don't you let them in on our little story? Nova here already knows it, the nosy pest." Giovanni and Nova exchanged a hateful glare.

"You want them to know the story?" Mewtwo asked. "Fine. I'll tell it. Every detail."

Everyone in the room listened– the Mewtwos, Mew, Giovanni and Domino– as Mewtwo launched into his story. He started from as far back as he could remember, with his awakening on New Island and went from there. He felt slightly odd as he spoke; he had never really recounted his history in full detail to anyone. Everyone listened to him intently, interested in this new information, except for Nova, who knew it already.

Mewtwo talked for awhile, going over how Giovanni brought him to Team Rocket, and how Mewtwo left when he realized that Giovanni saw him as little more than an inferior slave. He continued on with recounting the Mount Queyna incident, not forgetting to describe every detail of Giovanni's cruelty.

Finally, after his story was finished, he stared at everyone for their reactions. Orion was looking between Giovanni and Mewtwo, stunned, but Chaos seemed completely indifferent.

"Giovanni _did_ those things?" Orion murmured, and he gave his boss a fleeting stare. Mewtwo answered with a nod, and Giovanni clenched his teeth. Another Mewtwo's loyalty was slipping.

"I have a question," Nova said to Mewtwo. Mewtwo looked in her direction.

"Yes, what?

"What happened during the time between when you left Team Rocket and showed up on Mount Queyna? Where did you meet Mew?" she questioned. "And how did you make all those other clones, anyway?"

Mewtwo scowled at Nova, and the female Mewtwo suddenly felt awkward and guilty, as if she had asked a question that wasn't supposed to be asked.

"I'd rather not talk about it," he hissed.

"Yes, I wouldn't call the New Island incident one of your best moments, Mewtwo," Mew said jokingly, but quickly fell quiet after Mewtwo interrupted her with a heated glare.

"Well, now that we're all done swapping stories, I think there's other matters to attend to," Giovanni said coolly. "You Rockets have training to do, and Mewtwo," Giovanni narrowed his eyes at the clone, "I want to see you in my office."

"Excuse me?" Mewtwo said incredulously. "I'm not your employee, Giovanni."

"Yes, fortunately for me," Giovanni answered. "But you are an uninvited intruder on Team Rocket property, and if you don't do as I say, things might get nasty. And I'm sure you don't want anyone to be hurt."

"That's hardly threatening, Giovanni. What could you possibly use against me?" Mewtwo taunted.

Giovanni couldn't help but smirk at his nemesis.

"Well, these Mewtwos, here, for one," he said with a shrug. "And I guess you're ignoring the fact that I possess a vast collection of pokemon– including some well-trained dark ones. You know very well that the psychic element is useless against the dark-type."

Mewtwo gritted his teeth, not liking this advantage Giovanni had. He was starting to regret having barged into the headquarters as if he was some invincible god, which Giovanni had clearly just pointed out, he was _not._

"Fine, I'll come to your office, Giovanni," Mewtwo said sourly after a few moments of consideration.

Giovanni nodded.

"Good. You complied faster than I thought you would. As for everyone else, back to training."

"What?" Nova exclaimed. "I refuse to train when–"

"Nova, don't argue with me," Giovanni interrupted. "You can do all the ranting you want later, but right now, I don't want to hear a word of it!"

Nova stopped talking and pouted. There wasn't any use in arguing with the boss.

Giovanni turned away and began to leave the gym.

"Come with me, Mewtwo," he ordered. "You, too, Chaos."

"No problem, Boss," the black Mewtwo replied with a wink. Mewtwo did not like the connection he felt between the two.

So Giovanni left, followed by Mewtwo, Mew, and Chaos, and the gym was empty, save for the two remaining pokemon and Domino.

* * *

"Take a seat, Mewtwo," Giovanni ordered, and he motioned towards the chair in front of his desk. Mewtwo looked away from Giovanni, and turned his gaze towards the shadows of the Team Rocket Boss's office. Everything was blanketed in semi-darkness and radiated a sinister aura, not unlike the Boss himself. The entire room was decorated in a dark and expensive manner, no doubt to intimidate anyone who was unfortunate enough to visit. Mewtwo could honestly say he didn't like the office.

"I don't want a seat, thank you," said Mewtwo curtly. "I'd prefer to stand."

Giovanni was about to reply, but his attention was instead drawn to Mew. The pink pokemon was flitting around the office like an inquisitive child, peering at and misplacing things as she went. She came to a bookshelf, pulled out a book, and began to study it. Only a moment later, she dropped it carelessly on a table and managed to knock over a vase at the same time.

"Mewtwo, could you tell your pet to stop meddling in my things?" Giovanni snapped.

"Mew is not a pet," Mewtwo retorted. "She's . . . an acquaintance."

"Right . . ." Giovanni watched as the pink pokemon hovered towards Mewtwo, twirling about and emitting an occasional 'mew.' "Where did she come from, anyway?"

Giovanni couldn't help but be curious about the pokemon. But compared to others, his reaction to such a mystical and legendary pokemon was actually quite subdued.

"Where Mew came from is irrelevant and none of your business, anyway, Giovanni," Mewtwo said coldly. "Now, if it's not too much to ask for, could you please get to the point of why I'm here?"

"Right, right," Giovanni muttered, and he took a seat at his desk. The black Mewtwo who had come with them pulled up a chair and sat at her Boss's side.

"Listen, Mewtwo," Giovanni began. "Our past hasn't exactly been . . . amicable. You don't like me, I don't like you . . . In all honesty, our hatred's mutual."

"Thank you for pointing out the obvious," Mewtwo quipped impatiently.

Giovanni frowned and continued.

"What I'm getting to is that what happened in the past is just that– the _past._ And I want to forget it and have nothing to do with it. I want nothing to do with _you_. I don't want you here in the HQ or anywhere near it. I have things and projects to work on, and the last thing I need is _you_ around to screw things up."

"Ah, so you want me to leave and never see the only others of my species ever again," Mewtwo said dryly. "What are you afraid will happen if your slaves see me?"

Giovanni glared.

"They're _not_ my slaves, Mewtwo. I treat them much differently than I treated you. I've learned my lesson; I have respect for them." Giovanni paused. "Well . . . except for Nova."

"Why is that?"

"Because, as a Team Rocket agent, she's been doing poorly lately; breaking rules, ignoring orders, and generally stirring up trouble. Why should I respect her?"

"Well, if she's so troublesome, fire her," Mewtwo said simply.

"You're forgetting Team Rocket policy," Chaos spoke up. "There's no 'firing' or 'quitting' here. If you can't support the Team, you're killed. We can't risk having ex-Rockets running amok spreading valuable secrets and information, can we?"

"Right," Mewtwo muttered. "And you can't kill her because she's an expensive pokemon and you need her for your own gain."

"I didn't bring you here to discuss Nova!" Giovanni said loudly, his eyes seething with anger. "Mewtwo, I want you out of this building _now_ and I never want you coming back to Team Rocket again!"

Mewtwo smirked at Giovanni, almost arrogantly.

"I think not. After all, what's stopping me?"

"Mewtwo, you're supposed to be intelligent," Giovanni answered, his anger subsiding to amusement. "There's a _lot_ stopping you. You seem to be ignoring the fact that I control an organization englobing more pokemon, people and technology than you could possibly imagine. You would never stand a chance against my resources."

"So what if I did show up here again?" Mewtwo inquired, becoming increasingly angry at Giovanni. "What would you do?"

"As much as I wouldn't like to, you'd have to be captured. Put in a master ball somewhere, or a cell. Or, if I had absolutely no other choice, I would have you killed."

Mewtwo slammed his fists furiously on Giovanni's desk. Giovanni couldn't help but feel mildly uncomfortable under Mewtwo's chillingly furious stare.

"How dare you command me to leave here?!" he shouted. To the clone's surprise, Giovanni didn't yell back or make any sort of angry reaction. He merely let out a weary sigh and smiled weakly.

"You refuse to let anything stand in your way, don't you?" he said, shaking his head slightly. "You're surprisingly similar to me, sometimes Mewtwo. But I suppose you can't really help it; it's in your genes, after all . . ."

"In my genes . . . What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.

"It's a bit complicated, really," Giovanni said wearily. "You do know that your genetics aren't entirely Mew-based, right? It's obvious that you're not an exact copy of Mew; your appearance and disposition are vastly different."

"Yes, I figured there were other sources of DNA used to create me," Mewtwo said, wondering where this was going.

"Yes, that's right," Giovanni continued. "The scientists who created you used an assortment of different pokemon to give you your powers and such a unique appearance. I'm not even sure how many different pokemon were used to create you . . . There was Alakazam, for sure, Espeon, too . . . And there was human . . ."

"Human?" Mewtwo exclaimed.

"Yes, human genes were spliced into the rest of the mix. My scientists did truly phenomenal work."

Mewtwo wondered for a few moments, and suddenly something clicked. A slippery though slithered into his mind, a thought which was almost too horrible to grasp.

"Giovanni, you don't mean . . . you don't mean that . . ." Mewtwo shook his head. "It wasn't . . . your . . ."

Giovanni grinned, almost sadistically. Mewtwo was catching on.

"Yes, Mewtwo, the human DNA the scientists used was my own."

Mewtwo stared at Giovanni, unmoving and unblinking, as the cruel revelation slowly sunk in. He couldn't speak for a few moments, but when his speech returned, so did his ferocious anger.

"So you mean to tell me," Mewtwo hissed, "that inside every single cell in my body, there's a part of _you?!_"

"Yes, pretty much."

"I can't believe this!" Mewtwo shouted furiously, feeling completely disgusted.

"You two certainly have the matching temper," Chaos muttered.

"Not to mention a fierce determination and demanding attitude," Giovanni added. "Though he's never contributed those traits to any ambitious goals like mine, world domination being an example."

Mew snorted in amusement, obviously remembering Mewtwo's near-insanity on New Island when he contemplated dominating the globe and eradicating humanity, or something to that effect. Mewtwo glared at the pink pokemon, knowing exactly what she was thinking.

"Giovanni, why are you torturing me with this repulsive information?" Mewtwo asked.

"You asked," he replied. "Now, I believe we've talked long enough. You can either leave now and never come back, or I'm going to have to take some corrective measures."

Mewtwo glared at Giovanni before abruptly turning around, feeling angrier than he had in a very long time. He began to storm out of the office with Mew following him.

"Goodbye, Giovanni. I hope I never have the misfortune of seeing you again," he said callously as he began to turn the knob of the office door. He jumped suddenly when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. He spun around to see two, golden eyes staring at him.

"It's a shame to see you leave," Chaos told him with a grin. "Too bad Giovanni won't let you stick around; you're a cute one."

Before Mewtwo could react, Chaos kissed him on the cheek. Mewtwo recoiled from her and scowled.

"Get away from me," he hissed. He turned, walked out, and slammed the door behind him. Chaos smirked as she turned around, but her grin faltered slightly when she noticed Giovanni frowning at her.

"You can't keep your hands off of anyone, can you, Chaos?" he muttered.

Chaos laughed and shrugged.

"Sorry. It's just what I do, Gio!"

* * *

Mewtwo stormed angrily down the corridors of the building, blinded by rage. He couldn't believe Giovanni expected him to just _leave_ and not bother to care that there other Mewtwos. And the revelation about Mewtwo's very own DNA . . . The clone couldn't help but shudder from the unsettling thought.

Mewtwo continued on through the hallways, and Mew was silent at his side. Occasionally they would pass a few Rockets, who pointed and whispered in awe at seeing the original Mewtwo followed by none other than Mew. Mewtwo blasted most of them into the wall, irritated by the mere sight of the grunts.

"I can't _believe _Giovanni!" Mewtwo hissed. "That repulsive human honestly thinks he can brush me away so easily?"

"I take it this isn't over yet," Mew said with a half-smile. The two turned a corner and ran into another grunt. Mewtwo telekinetically slammed the hapless man into the wall.

"Of course this isn't over!" Mewtwo almost shouted. "What, you thought I would give up se easily?"

"No, of course not. I actually agree– we can't just walk away and leave this place behind."

Mewtwo nodded.

"Exactly! And to think– I share his DNA! I've never heard something so abhorrent!"

"Well, there are resemblances . . ." Mew muttered.

Mewtwo shot his predecessor a withering glare, She merely shrugged and changed the subject.

"There's an exit over there, MEwtwo," she murmured, and pointed to a door not too far away., Mewtwo quickly cam to the exit, but as he was about to open the door, someone spoke up and interrupted his actions.

"Mewtwo, where are you going?"

Mewtwo spun around and saw that the other two clones, Nova and Orion, were coming towards him. Mewtwo raised an eyebrow.

"What are you doing here?" he questioned.

"We wanted to come talk to you," Nova replied, "so we followed you."

"How did you find me here?"

"We followed the trail of unconscious grunts," Orion answered with an amused grin. Mewtwo felt slightly embarrassed for being so careless.

"Why are you leaving?" Nova asked.

"If I don't leave, Giovanni will have me captured or killed," Mewtwo sighed. "I don't really like following his orders, but I have no choice."

"But . . . We want to talk to you," Nova said quietly.

"And I would prefer to remain here and talk with you, but I can't stay."

"So . . . are you just going to leave and not come back?" Orion asked, his expression fallen and dejected. Mewtwo paused for a moment and looked as though he had just been stricken by an idea.

"No, I'm not leaving Viridian City," he replied. "Listen, I have an idea. Giovanni said I couldn't come _here_ but he never specified anything about _you_ two leaving the HQ to come see _me._ Maybe you could sneak out and visit me in Viridian Forest."

"When?" Orion asked. "Tomorrow?"

"Yes, that would be fine."

"How will we find you?" Nova inquired.

"You're a psychic," Mewtwo answered, and he surprised himself by smiling at Nova. "It shouldn't be too difficult."

Nova laughed, and Mewtwo found it to be a rather pleasant sound.

"Yes, I suppose you're right, Mewtwo," she said, and paused before adding, "Well, we'll see you tomorrow."

"Yes . . . tomorrow," he said quietly, and began to open the door. But before he stepped outside, he took one last look at Nova and Orion. Everything still felt t o him like some surreal dream, and he had to observe the other two Mewtwos for a moment to make sure that they were real. His eyes locked with theirs, and he decided that the life and feeling in them was far too real to be a mere figment of his subconscious. Satisfied, he said a final good-bye.

He and Mew exited the Team Rocket Headquarters, and the door shut behind them.

End of Chapter VII

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

So . . . What did everyone think? I didn't screw up the first meeting too badly, did I? Please leave a review!

And a note about the Mewtwo/Giovanni DNA thing: I'm sure I've seen this idea used in a couple of other fanfiction pieces before, but I swear, I'm not trying to copy anyone; It's all coincidental! The whole thing is a little theory I came up with a really long time ago when I noticed that Mewtwo and Giovanni have similar eyebrows. (Yes, in case you were wondering, I am crazy) I was probably staying up wayyyy to late at night . . . I always think bizarre things at night : P

_Anyway,_ I apologize for my rambling. I'll . . . just go now. ::runs off::

__


	9. Victims of Denial

**Author's Notes**: Sorry for how long this chapter took. I had to go on several trips and I had things to attend to . . .

**Lynny M**. : blush Talent? Come on, this story isn't _that_ good! But thanks anyway!

**Genocideking Archfiend**: Thank you for the comments! And I found your idea of Giovanni splicing human DNA into Mewtwo's genetics to further the belief of human superiority rather interesting– I hadn't thought of that!

**Sabertooth Kitty**: Nova and Mewtwo? ::grin:: Eh, maybe, maybe not. You'll just have to keep reading!

**DarkPhoenix:** I'm glad you're liking this!

**Metal Mewtwo**: Well, it's good to hear that you thought the Mewtwo/Giovanni connection was a wonderful surprise. Mewtwo , I'm sure, would disagree. :P Thank you for the lovely compliments!

**Phoenix-Rising**: Yes, Mewtwo didn't seem to like the idea of being with Chaos, either, did he?

**keeper-of-the-triforce**: Hope I updated fast enough! Yeesh, it's summer vacation and I'm still procrastinating . . .

**Sylvia Viridian**: Cool! A semi-official source said Mewtwo had human DNA? I'd like to see this!

I'm very glad that you find I've portrayed Giovanni more realistically than most. Frankly, I'm tired of all the stories where he's nothing more than a vague, one-dimensional, villain. I always like giving depth to otherwise ignored characters!

**Black-UTAHRAPTOR**: Thanks, as usual!

**Link007:** In response to your question about the pokemon clones, I'll use this quote from chapter one: "After the last encounter with Giovanni, though, all of the clones had gone their separate ways. Mewtwo couldn't blame them. They had no need to sit alone and brood over everything when they could go and be happy with others of their own species."

I guess I probably should have explained that better.

And, no, none of the trainers from the show will ever be in this fanfic, at least not Ash and the twerps. I really can't stand Ash and his buddies.

**Fritz Will Get You**: ::laughs:: Well, keep in mind I made the eyebrow comparison very late at night. But I really do think they look kind of similar! Just look at a picture of the two of them, and you'll see. Or I might just be crazy.

**Counterfeit Lord:** I'm glad you enjoyed the Chaos/Giovanni twist– most find it kind of creepy! (I myself find it very interesting to write ) And, yes, Gio does seem to be getting rather attached to Chaos, doesn't he? . . . The troubles of being around a seductive Mewtwo!

**Chapter VIII summary:** Mewtwo and Mew went to the HQ (hee hee! That rhymed!) and met Nova, Orion and Chaos. Giovanni didn't like the idea of having Mewtwo around again, so he told the clone that if he didn't leave, he'd be captured or killed. A bit of arguing ensued, and it was revealed to Mewtwo that he possesses human DNA, Giovanni's to be more specific. So Mewtwo left, but Nova and Orion agreed to meet him later in Viridian Forest . . .

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Shadows Like You

Chapter IX _Victims Of Denial_

By: Cosmic Mewtwo

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Orion cautiously stepped through the lush shrubbery of Viridian Forest, being careful not to walk into low-hanging branches or onto any twigs scattered about on the forest floor. He hesitated with worry every few steps he took, and couldn't stop glancing over his shoulder to the HQ standing far behind him. He took another few steps ahead and looked forward to Nova, who was trekking through the woods without any evident worry.

"Nova, are you sure this is a good idea?" Orion asked as he shot another anxious glance over his shoulder. "If Giovanni found out about this–"

"Found out about what?" Nova said flatly, turning around and putting her hands on her hips. "Us taking a stroll through the woods? He's never said we couldn't."

Orion stood unsteadily, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "Yes, but you know that this isn't any normal stroll. He'll be furious if he finds out we've snuck out to see Mewtwo!"

"Why would he be furious?" Nova replied. "He never said anything about that, either. This is our own free time and we can do as we please. It's not like we're skipping training, or a mission, or something like that."

Orion hesitated, not entirely convinced. "Nova, I don't know about this . . ."

"Do you want to see Mewtwo or not?" Nova snapped, casting an impatient glare on the other Mewtwo. His incessant worrying was beginning to irritate Nova, who wasn't exactly the most patient pokemon to begin with.

"Yes, yes, I want to see Mewtwo," Orion said quietly, staring submissively at the ground. "Sorry I said anything . . ."

Nova looked away and continued her trek through the forest. Orion followed, but came to another hesitating stop.

"Nova, are you sure you know where we're going?" he asked.

"Of course!" she replied irritably. "Or, at least I think so. I'm just using my intuition, and it's telling me that there's a psychic pokemon nearby."

Orion and Nova fell silent again as they resumed plodding on through the lush, peaceful forest. The forest was quiet, empty of all sound save for the Mewtwos' footsteps and the chirping of unseen bird pokemon. Tall pillars of wood sprung up on either side of Nova and Orion, entwining and grasping for the cerulean vault above. From the branches hung the dense canopy of leaves, which fanned out and created the illusion of no horizon, no sky, just forest. Shafts of gold slanted through the canopy's gaps, spotlighting parts of the earthy ground. There was an unmistakable aura of calmness that hung in the still, quiet air. Orion, who had been worrying since they had left headquarters, couldn't help but feel at ease in a such a peaceful atmosphere.

Nova suddenly froze. "Hey, there's something over there!" she exclaimed, pointing to a spot further in the forest.

Orion turned his head to look in the direction that Nova was pointing in. A pink pokemon was hovering among the trees, occasionally pausing to study a flower or observe a sentret scurrying up a tree.

"It's Mew!" Orion blurted.

Mew heard him and spun around. She smiled warmly upon seeing the two Mewtwos, and they couldn't help but return the smile.

"Ah, Nova and Orion!" Mew said brightly, floating closer to them. "I've been waiting for you to show up. I suppose you're looking for Mewtwo?"

Nova nodded. "Yeah, where is he?"

"Not far away. Come along, I'll take you to him."

Mew flipped around and began to flit away. She darted quickly amongst the thick tree trunks, and Nova and Orion had to jog to keep up.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Mewtwo was perched comfortably in one of the forest's larger trees, cradled comfortably in its large boughs and bursts of leaves. His back was against the trunk, and he was gazing into the forest with half-closed eyes. The calls and chirps of pokemon sounded every now and then against he consistent gurgle of a nearby stream. Mewtwo found the area very relaxing.

He lazily shifted his gaze down to the dirt path below him, wondering if Orion and Nova would show up and when Mew would come back. He had been watching the forest all day, but no one had passed through except for a few pokemon trainers. Mewtwo had assumed that they were rookies, judging by the foolish optimism in their expressions and the single poke-balls on their belts. He almost pitied the moronic humans; after all, few trainers actually succeeded in their quest of collecting badges, and even fewer reached the lofty goal of being a pokemon master. He couldn't believe he shared the genetics of such feebleminded creatures.

Mewtwo looked down once more to see if anyone was coming and noticed something small and pink flying towards him. Not far behind were Orion and Nova.

"He's up here!" Mew called to the others, and pointed to the branch which Mewtwo was sitting on.

"Mewtwo, hi!" Nova yelled to him.

Mewtwo swung down from the branch and landed on the forest floor. He smiled at he other two. "Ah, I was wondering when you two would get here!"

"Well, we had a lot to do at the HQ before we could sneak out unnoticed," Nova explained. "Training and work and such."

Mewtwo sat down on the ground, frowning slightly. "Hmm . . . That reminds me of something I've been meaning to ask you– why do you work willingly for Team Rocket, anyway?"

"Lots of reasons," Nova said with a shrug. "Though lately I've been staring to hate it. Giovanni is a horrible, deceitful man, and I can't stand working for him anymore."

"So why do you?" Mewtwo asked flatly.

"What other choice do we have?" she answered with a sigh. "Team Rocket offers protection and a home. It shields us from the human world, from trainers and pokemon researchers who wouldn't hesitate to capture us, and Giovanni gives us pretty much anything we could want. It's just easier to work for him and be provided for than to face the world."

"I actually don't find it so bad," Orion spoke up, and his comment earned a frown from Mewtwo. "I understand why _you_ would hate working for Giovanni, but I've never felt a reason to leave. It's something to do, I guess, and it's better than facing the rest of humanity."

"It's easier to evade society than you think," Mewtwo muttered. "I managed to escape Giovanni and I rarely see humans anymore.

Orion and Nova looked at him in mild shock.

"Don't you ever get lonely?" Orion asked. "I would hate being completely separated from people like that . . ."

Mewtwo's lips tightened into something of a grimace. "I manage."

"What about all of those other pokemon clones, though?" Nova asked. "What happened to them?"

"They . . . they left," Mewtwo said quietly, not really enjoying talking about his previous friends who had pretty much abandoned him. "I wasn't exactly the best of company, I suppose. They left to find others of their own species and to try and lead normal lives."

"So you've been completely alone?" Orion asked, his eyes wide with empathy.

Mewtwo shifted awkwardly. Memories of his torturous solitude flooded his mind, and just remembering them made him feel distraught. "Well, I . . . yes, I suppose . . ."

"Well, he has me for company!" said Mew, smiling cutely.

"How did you and Mewtwo meet?" Nova inquired.

Mewtwo glared. "Never mind."

"This has something to do with what happened after you left Team Rocket, doesn't it?" Nova asked, anger flashing in her silver eyes. "Why won't you tell us?"

"It's not something I really enjoy discussing," Mewtwo snapped. "Is it really any of your business?"

"Why are you so secretive?" Nova demanded, casting a suspicious stare on Mewtwo. "You're no different than Giovanni!"

The furious look in Mewtwo's eyes told everyone that Nova had crossed a line. Mew and Orion quickly exchanged a nervous glance, but Nova and Mewtwo had their glares firmly locked on the other.

"Don't you _dare_ compare me to Giovanni!" Mewtwo hissed.

Nova frowned at Mewtwo before answering him. "Whatever. Sorry for offending you."

"Eh . . . Let's drop the subject," Mew said quickly in an attempt to diffuse the situation. "That other Mewtwo, Chaos– she a rather quirky one, it seems. What's the deal with her?"

"Well, there's no polite way to describe her," Nova said dryly. "In all honesty, she's little more than a slut who digs her claws into any man she can find and promptly tosses him aside after she's had her fill with him. She a charming, conniving, nasty little vixen."

Orion frowned and crossed his arms. "She's not _that_ bad," he muttered, which prompted Nova to roll her eyes.

"That would explain her behaviour towards me," Mewtwo murmured. "She was quite . . . well, 'flirtatious,' I guess is the word."

"She seems to have some sort of attachment to Giovanni," Mew said. "What's that about?"

"Giovanni's her new lover," Orion said bitterly.

Mewtwo's eyes widened. "Really? That would explain a lot . . . But Giovanni doesn't seem like the type to be involved with a . . . a _pokemon _. . ."

"That's what I thought," Nova replied with a shrug. "Who knows what he's in it for. They're both pretty manipulative people; I can't imagine there's any real affection between the two."

"Hmm . . . This Chaos seems to be the type who would make a very willing agent for Team Rocket," said Mewtwo thoughtfully.

Orion nodded. "Oh, definitely. She's one of the best. She'll probably end up being in a higher rank than Domino if she keeps it up."

Mewtwo nodded, and continued. "So I take it that you two don't get along with her very well?"

"No, we don't," was Nova's blunt reply. "I can't say that I'm very fond of her.

Orion looked down at the ground. The subject didn't seem to sit comfortably with him. "Well, I _used_ to get along with her," he said, his face twisting into a hurt expression "We were . . . well . . . never mind."

He looked away sheepishly and said nothing, but Mewtwo managed to figure out what he was trying to say. The four said nothing for awhile, and an awkward silence quickly fell over them. Nova was the first to speak again.

"So, Mewtwo, what's it like living where there's no humans?" she asked, sounding sincerely curious. "I didn't think such a place could actually exist."

"Well, Mount Queyna isn't completely void of humans," Mewtwo answered. "There are two pokemon researchers living nearby and a bus travels around it every month or so. It's impossible to _fully_ escape humanity."

Nova rolled her eyes. "Well, it certainly doesn't sound like a bustling city," she muttered. "What's it like?"

"It's peaceful," Mewtwo answered with a shrug. "It's far better than facing the needlessly harsh human world. It may be lonely . . . But there are worse things. Being enslaved to Team Rocket, for example."

"I'd like to leave Team Rocket," Nova murmured, and Mewtwo caught the wistful expression in her eyes. "I . . . I'd like to see more of the world. Have more freedom. It would be nice."

"You could come to Mount Queyna," Mewtwo blurted suddenly. He couldn't believe he had just said it. It wasn't like him to invite _anyone_ to live in his home, especially someone he had just met. "Not that you have to, just a friendly invitation," he added quickly, feeling mildly embarrassed, which was another rarity for him. "I mean, there aren't many places that are free from humans, but if that's what you're looking for, Mount Queyna is probably the best you'll find."

"I can't leave Team Rocket," she replied, narrowing her eyes in mild anger. "Giovanni would never allow it."

"Yes, I'm aware of Team Rocket's ridiculous policy," Mewtwo muttered with an impatient roll of his eyes. "But can't you run away?"

"I've considered it, but I'm afraid of what Giovanni would do. Look at what he did when _you_ ran off. Something tells me that he'd do much worse to me– we haven't been getting along at all lately. The hatred between us is unmistakable."

"Well, there must be some way to leave Team Rocket," said Mewtwo.

Nova fell silent for a moment, as if trying to conjure up some idea of an escape. She bit her lip in hesitant thought.

"All I can do is ask him if I can quit," she muttered. "But what's the point? I know he'll refuse.

"It's worth a try!" Orion said encouragingly. "What have you got to lose?"

Nova sighed. "Maybe you're right. I don't know . . ."

Orion, though, didn't seem to have heard Nova's reply; he was suddenly concerned with something else. He was staring through a gap in the forest's trees to the sky above. The sun had moved considerably across the sky and evening wasn't far off.

"It's getting late," he said quietly. "Do you think we should head back to the HQ?"

"Yeah, I don't want any of the Rockets to notice that we're gone," Nova replied, nodding in agreement.

"You're leaving already?" Mewtwo exclaimed, standing up suddenly. "You haven't been here for very long. Surely you could stay for just–"

"Sorry, Mewtwo. We really should leave," said Nova, the regret evident in her voice. "But we'll come back tomorrow."

Mewtwo nodded somewhat reluctantly. "Yes, I suppose that would be fine."

"All right then, we'll see you tomorrow, Mewtwo. Bye," Nova said warmly before smiling at him.

Mewtwo couldn't explain why her smile made him suddenly feel so strange, but how often was it that someone made such a friendly gesture to him? He felt he should return the smile, but what resulted was a sheepishly foolish grin. He reddened with inexplicable embarrassment.

"Mewtwo, are you blushing?" Mew asked.

"What? Of course not!" Mewtwo snapped, reddening furiously. "Maybe I . . . Maybe I have a sunburn. I'm not used to the sun, you know!"

"Right, right," Mew answered with a grin. "A sunburn, gotcha."

Mewtwo glared at Mew before turning his gaze to the other two clones. "Well, I'll see two tomorrow, then. Farewell."

Nova and Orion waved goodbye before turning to the forest behind them and plunging once more into a foliage surrounded passage. With a knowing smile on her lips, Mew watched as Mewtwo walked away to find somewhere to rest.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Night had fallen over Viridian City, and Nova was sitting silently in her bedroom, gazing vaguely through her window. High above the view of the city, the sky was spattered with stars, but the Mewtwo saw only a few because of the city's light pollution. She sighed wistfully, wondering what it would be like to stare up at the night sky far from the hideous touch of city lights. What did the stars look like in the wilderness?

_Mewtwo would know, _she thought._ He lives in one of the most secluded areas in Johto. I . . ._ Nova could hardly believe what she was thinking.

_. . . I wish I could go there._

The thought came out of nowhere, and Nova found it baffling. She was used to life in the city, and in the human world. She had to admit she was fond of the luxuries it provided. It was difficult for her to imagine living in the wild without any food, shelter, or job . . . So why did she suddenly feel drawn to that sort of life? She decided that escaping Giovanni and Team Rocket was one good reason.

Being with Mewtwo was another.

_Well, that's ridiculous! _She thought, surprised with herself. _I've just met Mewtwo, and he isn't . . . well . . . I- I'm certainly not in **love** with him . . . He's a bit moody, to be honest, and– God, I can't believe I'm even considering this!_

Nova shook her head sharply. She quickly shoved the thought into a shadowy recess of her mind and hoped it wouldn't resurface.

_I would like to get away from Team Rocket, _she continued, _but I really don't know how to pull that off . . . I could run away, but there's so much risk . . ._

The Mewtwo sighed. Her options were few. _I suppose Orion has a point; there's nothing to lose in asking Giovanni if I can leave. What other choice do I have?_

Nova sighed in resignation. The only thing she could do was have a reasonable negotiation with the Boss. Or a nasty argument, which was what often happened every time she stepped into the office.

Nova looked over at the clock on her bedside table, wondering if she could go see her boss immediately. It was getting late, but Giovanni seemed to work late every night, so Nova was sure he was still in his office. She supposed it was probably better to see him at night; he was usually irritable and cantankerous the earlier it was in the day.

_I just hope he's in a decent mood,_ Nova thought apprehensively. _If that's even possible_.

With little else to do, the Mewtwo exited her bedroom and ventured into the headquarters to find Giovanni.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It was late and Giovanni's normally dark office had been thoroughly enveloped in shadows with the coming of night. The Team Rocker leader was at his desk, busy with some generic paperwork that had to be looked over. The hours were beginning to catch up with him; he felt weariness gently tug at his steadily heavying eyelids and his mind wasn't as focussed as he would have liked it to be. Persian had succumbed to slumber long ago and was curled up comfortably at his side. Giovanni sighed and rubbed his eyes.

_I'm working for a few more minutes and then it's sleep,_ he though dully. He scratched Persian behind the ears and the feline purred contentedly in its sleep.

The quiet moment was shattered when someone knocked at the door.

_Who the hell wants to see me at this hour? _He wondered. _Chaos, maybe? No, she was here a few hours ago, but then she went to bed . . ._

"Who is it?" he demanded.

"It's Nova," answered the visitor.

Giovanni uttered a sigh of annoyance. The last few times Nova had dropped by for a visit, there had been nothing but arguing. And Giovanni was _not _in the mood for a fight.

"May I come in, sir?" Nova asked, trying to sound polite.

"This had better be quick," Giovanni snapped, and Nova stepped into the office.

She walked over to his desk, trying to make herself as quiet and passive as possible, so as to not annoy her boss. He was already irritated; Nova could sense that much even though it was suffocatingly dark.

"What brings you here at this ridiculous hour?" Giovanni asked curtly.

Nova hesitated. Maybe this wasn't such a brilliant idea. "Well . . . I– I wanted to ask you something."

Giovanni's expression didn't change. "Well?"

Nova bit her lip reluctantly, feeling inexplicably nervous. She began speaking several times before finally managing to blurt out what she meant to say.

"I want to quit Team Rocket."

"It's not happening," Giovanni said flatly. "You know the rules, Nova."

Nova crossed her arms, her eyes narrowed. She had expected a reply like that, but it didn't make her accept it.

"So you want to keep a rebellious, poorly-performing Rocket around?" she demanded. "Where's the logic in that?"

Giovanni looked away silently. Though he said nothing, he found it very logical, actually. If he were to make an exception for Nova and simply let her leave, what would the other Rockets think? They would assume the Boss's power was slipping or he was going soft, and Giovanni couldn't have that. He knew very well that the force behind his absolute authority over the organization was intimidation, and if the Rocket didn't fear him, what reason did they have to obey him? And how would Giovanni maintain such an atmosphere of fear if he let people quit the Team whenever the desire struck them?

"You're not quitting, and that's final," Giovanni said firmly. "I wouldn't make that exception for anyone, and especially not _you_."

Nova frowned. "And what if I ran away?"

Giovanni laughed, but he didn't seem amused. "Did Mewtwo put you up to this, Nova?" he asked.

"What?" Nova asked. "What would Mewtwo have to do with me wanting to quit?"

"Well, a day after he arrives, you suddenly want to run off," Giovanni replied, grinning darkly at Nova. "That seems to be a clue. Were you planning on living with him on Mount Queyna? Have you fallen for him that quickly?"

"That's not how it is at _all_!" Nova snapped, reddening with anger and embarrassment.

Giovanni smirked tauntingly. "Whatever you say, Nova."

Nova glared at her boss. She suddenly had the urge to wrap her hands around his neck and strangle the arrogance out of him for good, but she calmly restrained herself.

"Well, I've had quiet enough of you for one night, Nova," Giovanni said flatly, standing up from his desk. "Get out of my office."

Nova angrily obliged, and stormed out of the room with a slam of the door. Persian hissed as she left.

The Boss sat back down and stared at nothing for several moments. Though on the surface he seemed calm and unbothered, he couldn't ignore the feeling of unease that was settling over him.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Mewtwo stirred restlessly where he lay, unable to find his way into a peaceful slumber. Although the hushed quiet of the forest surrounding him was nothing but soothing, and the loose bed of moss and leaves beneath him was rather comfortable, sleep evaded him. He turned over several times, changed his position repeatedly, but he didn't seem satisfied. Finally, he turned onto his back and glared at the trees that towered above him The air was heavily silent, the only sounds being an occasional Noctowl hoot.

"Can't sleep, Mewtwo?" Mew asked. The small pokemon was resting only a few metres away from Mewtwo.

He turned again, and rubbed his eyes, sighing wearily as he did. "No, I can't."

"What seems to be the problem?" Mew asked casually. She looked over at the other psychic pokemon.

"I don't know," Mewtwo muttered. "I guess I'm not used to sleeping during the night. I'm usually nocturnal, you know."

"That didn't seem to be a problem last night or the one before it," Mew pointed out.

Mewtwo narrowed his eyes. "And what exactly are you suggesting?"

"Well, maybe there's something else bothering you," Mew answered with a shrug. "Perhaps you're preoccupied with something else."

"Like what?"

"Well, Nova, for example."

Mewtwo sat up abruptly and stared at Mew as if she had said something atrociously offensive. "Nova?" he said shortly. "Why would I be thinking about _Nova_?"

"Oh, don't deny it,"said Mew, a teasing grin pulling at the corners of her mouth. "I can tell you like her. The way you two talked and smiled, and you even invited her to come to Mount Queyna. _That's_ odd, indeed."

Mewtwo crossed his arms defensively. He was reddening, though whether it was from fury or embarrassment was unclear. "I was merely being polite."

"Polite? _You?"_ said Mew, almost laughing. "I've never seen you act so . . . so sociable."

"Are you suggesting that I'm normally anti-social?" Mewtwo accused.

"Well, there's no point in sugar-coating it, is there?"

"Get away from me, Mew," Mewtwo snapped, turning away from her. "Leave me alone."

Mew giggled. "And thus my point is proven."

"Go away!" Mewtwo shouted.

"All right, all right, I'm leaving," she muttered, making a mental note to herself to stop provoking Mewtwo. "Have a nice sleep, Mewtwo."

Mewtwo was already lying on th ground, facing away from her. He answered her with a noise that was somewhere between a grunt and a growl. Mew figured it would be dangerous to pursue further conversation, so she flitted away into Viridian Forest.

Mewtwo turned over onto his back when he was sure Mew was gone. He sighed wearily, not at all pleased with how that conversation had progressed. He was _not_ in love with Nova, absolutely not . . . If that was what Mew had been suggesting.

_Mew must be losing her touch, _Mewtwo thought. _Usually she can analyse anyone and guess what their feelings are perfectly. But me? In love with someone? What a ridiculous notion. Mew should get a grip on that flawed imagination of hers . . ._

But Mewtwo had to admit that Mew had a point. He_ had_ acted quite oddly when Nova had been around. There was something about Nova that brought out a feeling in Mewtwo that no one else did, and he couldn't quite figure out what it was. Was it love? No . . . That was ridiculous . . . Perhaps it was just animalistic instinct, perhaps it was just his body's overreaction to the possibility of reproducing and passing on its genes. Mewtwo didn't like thinking of himself as an animal with such primordial instincts, but it was a better explanation than having fallen in love. He couldn't believe that idea had even crossed his mind.

_I didn't think that meeting these Mewtwos would confuse me so much, _Mewtwo thought wearily. _Was this really such a good idea?_

Mewtwo's mind buzzed numbly with entangled thoughts and unanswered questions. He turned over on his side and soon fell into a confused and discomforting sleep.

End of Chapter IX

Yes, this chapter was boring, and I apologize for it, but it was essential. I can guarantee you that next chapter will be _much_ more interesting and will make up for it!


	10. Murder

Author's Notes: This chapter is certainly more fun than the last. Enjoy. ::evil grin::

**Phoenix-Rising:** ::nervous laugh:: yes, yes, this chapter is much more interesting, I swear! ::hides from chainsaw::

**Lynny M**.: Aww, your reviews are always so nice! Thank you, as always! And I'm glad you liked my description of the forest– I actually wrote that a long time ago, when I was really bored and felt like writing a pointless, descriptive paragraph. Then I found it when I was writing chapter nine and I thought, "This is the perfect description for Viridian Forest! I _must_ use it!" And . . . I did.

**Link007**: Yeah, I've read stories with similar plots, too, but I don't think this one is the best– but thanks anyway!

**Genocideking Archfiend**: Heheh . . . I'm happy that you enjoyed seeing Mewtwo embarrassed; I'm sure _he_ didn't particularly enjoy it! lol But maybe he'll think twice before smiling again. I think he's more of a smirking type. Like Gio. And, yes, as you said in your review, things are _definitely_ going to get worse before they get better, in this chapter especially!

**Fritz Will Get You**: Alright then!

**Sylvia Viridian**: Very good point! And I completely agree on Mewtwo being like a sulky teenager. Then again, that's what's writing this story.

**IceAngel2015**: Thanks for the comment! I think Mewtwo's reaction to Nova in this chapter will be interesting enough.

**Metal Mewtwo**: Awesome conclusion? Er... maybe... I'm actually kind of worried about the ending; I don't exactly have it completely planned yet. ; I have some ideas, but . . . we'll see!

**Flaming Freak of Boredom**: That's funny; I usually think of Mew as a guy, too, but for some reason I thought it would be more fitting if Mew was a girl in this story. Mew really seems like a more feminine creature, anyway.

**keeper-of-the-triforce:** Mewtwo has Blaine's DNA? That's certainly interesting. . .

**Chapter 9 Summary:** Orion and Nova went to see Mewtwo in Viridian Forest, and a few awkward moments seemed to ensue . . . Mewtwo? In love with Nova? Nah, it can't be! After Nova returned to the HQ, she went to see Giovanni and asked if she could quit Team Rocket. Giovanni blatantly refused. Back in Viridian Forest, Mew teased Mewtwo about liking Nova, and the clone became rather angry, which prompted Mew to leave for a little while. So Mewtwo was left alone to think about some serious questions forming in his mind . . .

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Shadows Like You

Chapter X _Murder_

By: Cosmic Mewtwo

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Giovanni was in his office, and although he was sitting at his desk, the last thing on his mind was work. He was staring emotionlessly at nothing in particular as a feeling of worry throbbed restlessly in his mind. He was only vaguely aware of Chaos, who was standing behind him, gently rubbing his shoulders.

"You seem awfully tense, Gio," Chaos murmured into his ear. "Something wrong?"

Giovanni's expression didn't change. "It's Nova. She came to me last night asking if she could quit Team Rocket. I declined, but I know she's going to run away. An angry Mewtwo can't be suppressed."

Chaos didn't seem bothered. She sat down on the arm of Giovanni's chair. "I can't say I really see a problem, Boss. So what if she wants to run away? Let her go; she's annoying."

"Absolutely not!" said Giovanni sharply. "Do you have any idea how the Rockets would react if I let another Mewtwo get away? No one will obey a leader who fails repeatedly! Not to mention my scientists will be furious . . . they worked for months on Nova! And– it's dangerous. Nova has a temper that could rival Mewtwo's; There's no way I'm letting them both run amok in the wild, free to cause trouble and possibly interfere with Team Rocket. They both seem like the vindictive type, you know."

Chaos fell silent and tossed Giovanni's words over in her mind. After a few moments of pondering, she answered with a very simple, casual response.

"Kill her, then."

Giovanni's eyes widened in mild surprise. "Kill her? Well . . . I suppose . . . But how would you go about killing a Mewtwo, exactly?"

"Easy," Chaos answered, and the smirk on her lips was one of cold sadism. "Use a dark pokemon. I recommend a tyranitar."

"Tyranitar?" Giovanni exclaimed. "Those things are _vicious_ . . . She won't stand a chance . . ."

Chaos grinned and Giovanni couldn't help but admire how dark and cruel her expression was.

"Exactly. We don't want her to stand a chance. You do have a tyranitar, right?"

Giovanni nodded. "Yes, a particularly strong one was brought in last week from Mount Silver. Incredibly ill-tempered. I'm sure it will be prefect for the job."

"Well, then, it's settled," Chaos said casually, as if they had just finished going over details for something as lighthearted as a vacation. "Why don't you invite her to your gym today and kill her then? I think that would be a good idea."

Giovanni didn't answer, and simply fell silent. For a moment, he could nothing but simply look at Chaos. He couldn't deny how much he was beginning to admire her. He had never met someone so cunning and compassionless, and he _liked _it. He couldn't help but admire her ruthlessly manipulative ways. She was irresistible, and Giovanni vaguely wondered if she had been planning all along for him to become this attached. He didn't really care.

"Chaos, I . . ." he said, but faltered mid-sentence. He paused and began again. "You're an outstanding Rocket, have I ever told you that? You would make a decent Team Rocket Boss, you know."

Chaos smiled at him, though her eyes were slightly wide from surprise. A compliment from Giovanni was a rare thing, whether you were his lover or not.

"Oh, that's sweet," she said, kissing him on the cheek. "Is this a promotion or something?"

Giovanni smiled thinly. "I'll think about it."

"All right, then," Chaos replied. Her usual smirk resurfaced. "So, I'd make a good Rocket Boss, eh? Can I have your job, then?"

Giovanni laughed and flashed her a genuine smile.

"Over my dead body, Chaos."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Come on, Orion!" Nova called as she pushed open one of the HQ's exit doors. "Hurry up before someone finds us!"

She turned her head to look over her shoulder and saw a hallway stretch out behind her. Orion was jogging up to her.

"Sorry, sorry," he said hurriedly. "I was just making sure that no one was following us."

Nova crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "Orion, you're too cautious."

"Well, someone has to take precautions and resist being completely reckless!" he said with a frown. "I don't know about you, but I'm not in the mood to get in trouble."

"All right, whatever," said Nova dismissively. "Let's just go see Mewtwo." She began to step outside. An afternoon sun shone down and illuminated the forest that surrounded the Team Rocket Headquarters. Nova passed quickly through the door and onto the sun-warmed ground, and Orion followed. The coast seemed clear, but as they were shutting the door, someone yelled at them.

"Hey! Hold on!"

Nova and Orion spun around in surprise to see Domino coming down the hallway. Nova frowned impatiently as the Elite Rocket neared them. Orion's eyes were wide with incredulous horror; clearly he thought they were in trouble.

"What are you two doing?" Domino asked.

Nova gazed at her superior coolly. "We were about to go for a walk before you interrupted us."

"Right," Domino replied curtly. "Well, Orion, you can go for a walk, but Nova, the Boss wants to see you right now. In the gym."

Nova lifted an eyebrow. "The gym? What does he want?"

"I don't know," said Domino, "but it doesn't matter. If Giovanni asks you to do something, you do it without question!"

Nova merely rolled her eyes at Domino, which prompted the young Rocket to frown in disapproval. She turned on her heel and walked back down the hallway.

"Fine, whatever. I guess I better go see the Boss," Nova murmured. "Orion, you go and see Mewtwo. Tell him that I won't be long."

Orion nodded. "No problem, Nova."

With that said, Orion quickly disappeared into Viridian Forest. Nova stepped back into the HQ, muttering to herself angrily.

_This better be good_, she thought as she took herself in the direction of the gym.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Nova slammed open the doors of the gym and swaggered in, making her irritation and impatience as evident as possible. She peered into the arena's shadows, trying to find Giovanni.

"All right, Giovanni, I'm here," she called, crossing her arms defiantly. "Can you make this quick?"

Nova looked up at the balcony at the far end of the gym where Giovanni usually conducted his battles. He wasn't there, contrary to what Nova had expected. She began to tap her foot on the ground impatiently, and the heavy silence began to unnerve her. Something didn't feel right.

Giovanni stepped suddenly from the shadows and was illuminated by one of the gym lights. Nova almost jumped in surprise at his sudden appearance.

"Hello, Nova," he said quietly, his voice flat and void of emotion. Nova looked at him and instantly noticed the lack of feeling in his expression. Rather than the sinister smirk or dangerous glare that was always present on his face, there was now nothing but a cold, solemn stare. The Persian at his side was equally as unmoving and expressionless.

Nova was beginning to feel apprehensive. This didn't feel normal.

"Well, don't just stand there and look at me!" Nova snapped, concealing any worry stirring beneath the surface. "Did you call me here for a reason?"

"Patience never was one of your virtues, Nova," Giovanni muttered, shaking his head. "You would think that a person as intelligent as yourself would realize that it would be a good idea to show me some respect, but no. You're as impatient and arrogant as Mewtwo himself."

Nova took a step backward. Confusion flashed in her eyes. "What are you talking about?" she asked. "What do you want?"

She noticed suddenly that Giovanni had a single poke-ball in his hand, and this only confused Nova further. Was he going to capture her?

Giovanni lifted the poke-ball. "I'm sorry it had to come to this," he muttered darkly. "But Team Rocket can't risk having a rebellious agent like you. That's why you have to be disposed of. Farewell, Nova."

Nova mouthed wordlessly. She shook her head in bafflement.

"What . . . What do you mean?" she demanded. "What are you going–"

Nova was silenced when Giovanni pressed the release button on the poke-ball. A red light jumped from the sphere in a jagged path and began to take the form of something.

Nova watched in horror as the red light solidified into a tyranitar.

The towering, reptilian monster before her immediately stepped forward, a deep growl rumbling from the depths of it's throat. Nova involuntarily trembled, overwhelmed with terror, as the tyranitar bared its dripping teeth and extended its claws. The aura of darkness surrounding it was suffocatingly powerful, and Nova knew she was at a complete disadvantage.

Nova had to remind herself to keep breathing and she instantly threw up a Barrier to protect herself. The tyranitar roared, and Nova felt her entire being shudder under the force of the ear-splitting noise. The beast lunged forward and swiped at Nova, her psychic barrier completely useless against the dark type.

Nova tried to leap out of the way, but the monster's razor-like claws raked across her thigh, cutting deeply. The Mewtwo cried out in pain. She had been attacked much worse in battles she had faced during training, but being attacked by a Dark pokemon was different; the dark element had a way of making even the lightest scratches hurt with unbearably intense pain. It felt as if the tyranitar had not only slashed through her flesh, but through the fibres of her soul, and Nova felt as if she was going to be sick.

_Oh, God,_ she thought desperately, trying to ignore the dizzying pain. _This thing is going to kill me . . . Giovanni wants me dead . . ._

In desperation and without thinking, Nova concentrated her mind to unleash a powerful wave of telekinesis over the tyranitar. If it had been a normal pokemon or even a lower level Dark type, the attack would have slammed it into the wall and rendered it unconscious.

But instead, the tyranitar remained as it was, not even flinching under Nova's powerful attack.

Nova was helpless. Her attacks were completely useless against the tyranitar. With adrenaline pounding in her veins, she spun around to run away. She tore towards the exit, but the tyranitar was faster. It thundered after her and snatched her off the ground. Nova shrieked as its claws sunk into her skin.

"Giovanni! Call it off!" she cried, writhing in the tyranitar's grasp. "Oh God, make it stop! Why are you doing this?"

Giovanni seemed oblivious to her cries for mercy. He watched the whole scene unfold before him, his expression cold and unchanging.

Nova twisted and winced against the raw pain enflaming her senses. She felt blood trickling freely from where the claws dug into her flesh and from the wound on her thigh. The tyranitar was eyeing it's twisting prey with a hungry grin, saliva dripping from its teeth. The smell of blood enticed it.

Nova squirmed uselessly, but the tyranitar's grip was too strong. It began to open its jaws wide, and Nova knew it was about to use Crunch. She was as good as dead.

The Dark pokemon lunged its mouth towards Nova's neck, wanting to kill her instantly, but Nova twisted out of the way. The tyranitar brought its jaws crunching down instead on her shoulder, and the pain was so unbearable that Nova couldn't even bring herself to cry out. She felt a dark energy surge through every nerve in her body and her consciousness flickered. The beast's fangs cut far too deeply into her skin, and Nova watched the blood gush from the wound in a crimson torrent. The sight brought on a wave of dizziness.

_I'm going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to die,_ Nova chanted endlessly in her mind. _It hurts . . ._ _Why won't this end? . . . There has to be someway to fight this thing off . . . What are Dark types weak against?_

Nova scanned her memory as fast as she could. Dark types were weak against Fighting types. She had been taught that in training.

Instantly, Nova used her uninjured arm to punch the Tyranitar in its face. The reptilian pokemon loosened its grip slightly, surprised at Nova's sudden retaliation. The Mewtwo didn't wait a second before punching again. She hit it repeatedly, each punch blindingly fast until the tyranitar roared in pain and dropped her. She hit the floor painfully, which only intensified the agony she was already suffering. She had little time to regain herself. The tyranitar was stumbling around, distracted by a broken nose and several missing teeth, but it would soon strike back with a fiery anger. Nova had no time to waste.

She pulled herself off the ground, ignoring her wounds and blood-spattered body. She rushed towards her opponent and slammed into it with a Low Kick. The tyranitar roared again and glared at Nova, ready to exact revenge on her for attacking. Nova stumbled backwards as the monster began to advance. Despite its bloody, bruised face, it seemed unphased by Nova's attacks.

_These fighting attacks aren't working well,_ she thought. _What else can I do? Tyranitar is also a Ground type pokemon, and ground is weak against . . . weak against water!_

Nova concentrated for a moment. She thought back to her training with Orion and Chaos, when Domino had taught them how to use the attacks of other elements. Nova remembered that she could use her psychic powers to manipulate her surroundings and attack with a completely different element, and suddenly this knowledge seemed useful.

She focussed her mind and concentrated on water. All of the water molecules suspended in the air were drawn towards her, and she stretched her arms out to prepare for a Hydro Pump attack. She watched as the fluid condensed into a psychically controlled sphere that was near bursting with energy. The tyranitar began to walk towards Nova, its claws outstretched and ready to attack. Finally, Nova hurled the water forward and the sphere ruptured into a forceful jet of highly pressurized water. The Hydro Pump slammed into the tyranitar and threw it against the gym wall.

Nova let out a heavy breath, thoroughly exhausted from pain, blood-loss, and her energy- draining attack. Wearily, she looked over at the vicious predator, hoping that it was finished. Though it was still conscious, it had collapsed pathetically to the ground , surrounded by a pool of liquid. It groaned in pain, and something like anger flashed in its merciless eyes.

Before the thing could recompose itself, Nova clumsily staggered over, ready to finish it off. She telekinetically drew the water to her hand and forced it to solidify into ice crystals. With one mighty blow, she brought her fist crashing onto the tyranitar's head with an Ice Punch. Nova watched as it's body slacked and it's eyes rolled back.

It was unconscious.

Nova gasped in sheer relief and collapsed to the floor, exhaustion washing over her senses.

_I'm alive, _she thought, shocked at the realization. _My entire body hurts, but somehow . . . I've survived . . . _Beneath the pain torturing her every nerve, Nova felt a surge of relief.

Then she noticed Giovanni pulling something out of his suit jacket.

Nova turned her head to Giovanni. He had pulled out a gun, and it was aimed directly at her. Giovanni's face was set in a grim stare, and his eyes were narrowed in fury.

"I can't believe you managed to defeat a tyranitar," he spat. "You're stronger than I give you credit for. Not that it matters now."

Nova's eyes widened in fear as Giovanni began to apply pressure to the trigger. Faster than she thought possible, she used her telekinesis and ripped the weapon from Giovanni's hands. With her uninjured arm, she caught the gun and wrapped her trembling fingers around the cold metal.

Giovanni watched the Mewtwo rigidly. His eyes were transfixed on the weapon.

"Nova, before you do anything–" he began quietly.

"Shut up!" Nova screamed. "Shut up! I don't want to hear another deceitful word from you!"

Giovanni closed his mouth. In a situation like this, it was not wise to argue with the one in possession of the weapon.

Nova was trembling where she lay on the floor and blood ran down her shuddering frame. Her hand shook as she aimed the gun at Giovanni.

"I hate you," she said in a low, venomous, hiss. "I _hate_ you. You tried to kill me, you god-damn son of a bitch. You tired to _kill _me!"

Nova shuddered with anger and disbelief and her eyes were beginning to water.

"Nova, please," Giovanni said quietly, taking a step towards her.

"Don't come near me!" Nova snapped. "Stay away!"

Giovanni swallowed anxiously. His calm exterior was beginning to crack. He was screwed, and he knew it.

"Nova," he began again. "Please, put the gun down and–"

"_Shut up!"_

Before Nova could even realize what she was doing, she squeezed the trigger. An ear-splitting gunshot cracked through the room as the weapon fired. The bullet's journey ended no sooner than it had begun, having met the waiting flesh of its victim.

Giovanni stumbled backward and clutched his chest where the bullet had wounded him. He looked down and saw that blood was already beginning to seep through the fabric of his clothing. He tried to speak, but his words caught in his throat and all that he managed was a pathetic choking sound. Rigidly, he fell to his knees, eyes wide in disbelief.

Nova's hands trembled and the gun fell from her limp grasp. She had just shot someone. Giovanni was dying right before her eyes. She was paralysed with shock and could only watch helplessly as Team Rocket's leader collapsed on the floor. His blood quickly spread and stained te arena floor around him.

Nova ignored her own bleeding wounds as she watched Giovanni bleed before her. His breaths were ragged and shallow. He was dying.

Giovanni looked at Nova, but his vision was unfocussed and quickly failing him As his blood drained away, so did his energy and life, and the ability to think clearly was slipping from him. He wondered vaguely if Team Rocket was finished, what everyone would think, and he wondered how Chaos would feel about this.

. . . Chaos.

Suddenly she was the only thing Giovanni could think about . . . The attachment he felt to her, it would be gone now. He didn't think he had ever come so close to loving someone. Maybe he actually did love her, but his mind was failing so quickly that he couldn't figure it out.

Nova watched as Giovanni bled, and a pained expression crossed his face. Life was slipping from his frail grasp.

"Chaos . . ." he said weakly, in a raw whisper. "I . . ."

Giovanni trailed off, and his words hung heavily in the death-tainted air. The life in his eyes gradually faded away and was replaced by an unsettling emptiness.

"He's dead," Nova said weakly, her voice little more than a whimper. "I've murdered him– I . . . Oh God . . ."

Nova pulled herself to her feet and shakily made her way to the exit. She had to heal her wounds before the situation became critical. She had to get way from Giovanni. She had to leave, and find Mewtwo . . . She ran towards the door, stumbling painfully as she went. Her mind throbbed with dizziness and one, dark thought.

_I'm a murderer._

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - __

Chaos moved quickly through the hallway, unable to suppress a grin as she went. It would be great when she reached the gym and found that everything had gone according to plan, and that Nova was finally dead. Chaos hated the pest; Team Rocket would be a better organization without her.

_Oh, I can't wait to see Giovanni,_ Chaos thought gleefully. _Now that we're free of Nova, we can finally conquer the world together– without interruption._

Chaos laughed and strode confidently to the gym's doors. With a an arrogant smirk, she pushed them open. She entered the gym_, _but as she did_, _her smug expression disappeared completely. Immediately she noticed something was wrong.

Nova was still alive.

The black and purple Mewtwo stood mere feet away from the door. Though she was covered in a considerable amount of blood and bruises, she was alive.

And Chaos didn't like it.__

"Why aren't you dead?!" she hissed, shaking with rage. "Why didn't the tyranitar kill you?"

Nova looked around herself, seeming lost and disoriented. "Leave me alone," she muttered. "I want to leave . . . Get out of my way."

Nova attempted to brush pastChaos, but the black Mewtwo grabbed her by the arms.

"Where is Giovanni?" she demanded. "What's going on?"

"Leave me alone!" Nova protested, but she was too weakened to escape Chaos's grip.

Chaos didn't answer. She was distracted by something else that was seriously wrong. There was a pool of crimson liquid that had formed on the floor, and in the midst of it was Giovanni. Chaos let go of Nova and ran over to her fallen boss, crying urgently as she went.

"Giovanni! Giovanni! Talk to me!" she cried. She knelt down and began to shake him by his shoulders. There was no response. Chaos noticed the bullet wound in his chest and began to panic.

"What's wrong with him?" she shrieked, wild with disbelief. "Is he– is he _dead?"_

Nova avoided Chaos's stare. She nodded weakly.

"Did you kill him?" Chaos demanded, her fury rising steadily.

Nova hesitated to answer. Her mouth was painfully dry.__

"Y-yes. I . . . shot him. He tried to kill me."

Chaos didn't answer. She fell into a heavy silence, and she could do nothing bit stare at the lifeless corpse that had once been Giovanni. An aching fury flared under her numb exterior of disbelief. He was dead. Gone. It didn't seem real to her. It was _Nova _was supposed to be cold and dead on the floor.

"Chaos?" Nova said quietly.

Chaos didn't look at Nova. She sat rigidly, clutching to Giovanni. "Get out Nova. Go."

"I–"__

"_Get out._"

Nova shut her mouth. Even she couldn't argue with that tone. As quickly as her injured body would allow her, she stumbled out of the gym. She wanted to leave anyway.

As soon as Nova had left, Chaos pulled Giovanni towards her and clutched him to herself. She was absolutely still as she held him, and a deep silence settled around her.

The expression on her face was unreadable.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Outside, far beyond the chaos happening in the HQ, Viridian Forest was under its usual spell of calmness. The trees were all rigidly poised in a silence that was interrupted only by the sounds of pokemon going about their uneventful day. Light tendrils of breeze curled through the woods, swaying only the lightest branches and causing the leaves to tremble.

Though every other creature seemed to be at peace in the forest's placid serenity, three particular pokemon were deep in worry. They were all sitting near a small stream, immersed in their own thoughts.

Orion's eyebrows were furrowed in concern. "What do you suppose is taking Nova so long to get here?" he asked, looking to the other two pokemon, Mewtwo and Mew. "She said she'd be here a few minutes after me."

"She has been taking a while, hasn't she?" Mewtwo muttered. "Perhaps Giovanni gave her something to do that took longer than anticipated?"

Mewtwo turned to Mew for reassurance. He was disappointed to see that Mew was shifting uneasily, clearly worried herself.

"Mew?" Orion asked. "What do you think's wrong?"

"I can't be certain," Mew said quietly, "but this does seem unusual. Perhaps someone should go to the HQ and see what's going on."

Eager to help, Orion jumped up. "I'll go," he said. "It won't look weird if I show up there, considering I work there."

Everyone nodded in agreement. Orion began to walk away, but a rustling sound interrupted him. It sounded like someone stumbling through bushes and branches, running as if being pursued. Everyone exchanged glances of alarm.

Nova suddenly came tearing through the trees, sobbing wildly and bleeding from countless wounds. She saw the others and instantly began speaking, but her words were rushed and frantic. No one had any idea what she was saying or what was going on.

"Nova!" Mewtwo exclaimed, rushing over to her. He could see the horrible slashes on her thighs and body, and her shoulder was torn open with a deep bite wound. Mewtwo's eyes were wide with worry. "What happened to you?"

"He tired to kill me!" she spluttered. "Giovanni– and the tyranitar– it attacked me! And . . . I shot him! Oh God, he's dead, I shot him, and I'm bleeding so much, and– and . . ."

Nova trailed off, and broke down into gasping sobs. She tried to walk forward, but she was so weak with exhaustion that she collapsed. Quickly, Mewtwo rushed forward and caught her in his arms, breaking her fall. She feebly rested her head on Mewtwo's shoulder, and shuddered against him as her breath came in ragged gasps.

Mewtwo held her loosely, feeling incredibly awkward. "Nova? I can't understand a thing you said . . . what's going on?"

"Giovanni tried to kill me," she whispered, and tears were staining her cheeks now. "He used a tyranitar– it's what injured me. I knocked it out, and then . . . I . . . I shot Giovanni. I shot him, he's dead, I–" Nova winced. "Oh God, this hurts . . ."

"We need to heal those wounds," said Mew, and Mewtwo had never seen her look so serious. "They need to be treated."

Mewtwo nodded quickly and did the first thing he could think of. His body suddenly glowed blue with psychic energy as he used Recover. Eyes shut in concentration, he channelled the healing energy from himself to Nova's body, and her wounds partially healed to impede some of the bleeding. It was hardly enough to repair the damage, but it was all that could be done for the moment.

Mew shook her head in dismay. "Recover won't do."

"What about a Pokemon Centre?" Orion suggested quickly.

"No," said Mewtwo sharply. "We are _not _going to bring her into the human public. Absolutely not. We'll bring her to the healing springs on Mount Queyna.

Orion's eyes widened. "Mount Queyna? I can't go that far from the HQ! I . . . I have to stay here!"

"Fine," said Mewtwo flatly. "I'll go alone to Mount Queyna. You and Mew stay here; keep an eye on what's going on."

Mew nodded. "All right. Good thinking."

"What? Where are we going? Nova asked weakly. She was disoriented with weakness and was only vaguely aware of what was going on.

"Mount Queyna. To be healed," Mewtwo murmured to her. He then shifted his gaze to Mew and Orion. "I'll be going, then. Bye."

"Bye," Orion said quietly. "Makes sure she's all right."

Mewtwo answered with a nod. He closed his eyes, and a wispy blue aura of energy enveloped him and Nova. They remained in sight for only a second more before vanishing in a brief flash.

They had teleported to Mount Queyna.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

End of chapter 10

__


	11. Chaos

**Author's Notes**: Sorry for the ridiculously long wait! A lot of stuff kept coming up, and I apologize. But don't worry, here's chapter eleven. This chapter continues right where the last one left off, so I hope you all remember what happened

**Counterfeit Lord:** Hmm . . . Well, I guess Chaos would have been too stunned by Giovanni's death to even care about Nova. She's got bigger things to worry about now. ::evil grin::

**Lynny M.**: How I love plot twists! The chaos, the confusion– how exciting! I was a bit sad to kill Gio, though, seeing as he's my second favourite Pokemon character. Ah well, I _had_ planned for this to happen very early on the story . . .

**draganie:** Yep, Chaos certainly won't be buddies with Nova anymore! Well, not that she ever really was, but . . . And I guess I was sort of careless when I said Tyranitar was a dark/ground pokemon ::blush:: For some reason ground and rock have always seemed like the same element to me. Ah well! Sorry about that error!

**IceAngel2015**: XD Lemon? Nah, I can't promise you that! Lol

**Flaming Freak of Boredom**: Glad you noticed the whole "over my dead body thing." Nothing like a dose of foreshadowing!

**Sylvia Viridian:** ::laughs:: Yeah, I feel kinda bad for poor Gio, too. But that's what he gets for trying to murder Nova! :P

**Genocideking Archfiend**: Wow! Thank you so much for your review– very long and detailed! :D About the chapter title; I suppose it is kind of a big hint, isn't it? I thought maybe the readers would assume it was referring to Chaos and Giovanni's plot to murder Nova, but I'll take that into consideration. Anyway, I'm glad you found Giovanni's death quite a shock! And I'm also relieved that you though the battle with the tyranitar was well-done. I usually avoid writing battle scenes, as they're not exactly my strongest point. Sorry for the long wait! ::nervous laugh::

**Fritz Will Get You**: Yep. . . He's dead. I think you're the first one who's truly happy about that! Lol

**Metal Mewtwo**: Really? You think the fight sequence was good? I don't like doing battle scenes, so I was kind of worried about that. I'm happy Giovanni's death came as a surprise!

**Dark Phoenix**: Sorry for taking so long with this chapter. sweatdrop

**Trayne:** Glad to hear that you're enjoying the story. :) And I apologize for using Tyranitar as the bad guy; the poor pokemon never gets the credit it deserves, does it? I considered using a houndoom or umbreon instead, but I decided they would be too flimsy. Tyranitar seemed like the only dark pokemon that would really be terrifying to a Mewtwo.

**Phoenix-Rising**: Don't worry about giving me criticism– I honestly do appreciate it! I'd rather be told the truth, even if it's harsh, than have it sugar-coated. But I think you're right– this chapter did move a bit too quickly. I notice that in a lot of my writing, actually. I'll try to work on that in future chapters!

**captain deoxys**: Thanks for the review and the suggestion. :D I can guarantee you that things will be interesting at the healing spring.

**Chapter 10 Summary:** Chaos and Giovanni plotted secretly to murder Nova, deciding that would be better for Team Rocket (secretly plotting a murder? How soap-opera-ish . . .) To execute that plan, Giovanni forced Nova into a battle with a deadly tyranitar. After a long and desperate fight, Nova actually managed to survive and escape the HQ, but not before shooting and killing Giovanni. Nova tore off into Viridian Forest to find Mewtwo, who promptly took her to Mount Queyna to be healed. Ohh, the action!

* * *

Shadows Like You

Chapter XI_ Chaos_

By: Cosmic Mewtwo

* * *

As it had always been, Giovanni's office was dark with perpetual shadows and gloomy to anyone who had the misfortune to be in it. Although the room had never inspired any particular happiness or joy, its atmosphere seemed considerably more sullen and morose as Chaos sat at his desk, mulling over the day's less than happy incident.

She was silent in her brooding, her expression blank and unfeeling. The absence of her cunning smirk was so different that it was almost disturbing. But she had no reason to grin. She couldn't recall having ever felt so miserable, and the room's gloomy setting did nothing to cheer her up.

As of yet, Giovanni's death was still unknown to the rest of Team Rocket, except for Domino. She sat on the opposite side of Giovanni's desk from Chaos, and had been informed only moments before of Giovanni's murder. The usual level-headed Rocket was still overwhelmed by shock, and had yet to answer the black Mewtwo sitting across from her.

Domino had suspected something was wrong when Chaos had ordered her to securely lock the gym doors and come to the office, but nothing had prepared her for the news that Giovanni had been murdered.

"But Chaos," she finally managed to say, shaking her head in disbelief. Her purple eyes were wide and brimming with shock. "How did he die?"

"He was tyring to murder Nova," Chaos muttered. Domino instantly noticed the total lack of emotion in her voice, and she was somewhat disturbed by the uncharacteristic behaviour.

"It backfired," Chaos continued. "Nova managed to get Giovanni's gun, and, well . . ." Chaos hesitated. She shut her eyes, not wanting to even go over that thought. "Well, you can figure it out, Domino."

"And his body is still in the gym?"

Chaos nodded. "Yes, that's why I wanted you to lock the doors. I don't want someone stumbling in and finding out. If they do, there will be complete anarchy. I need to keep this under tight control."

Domino paused and bit her lower lip. The worry was evident in her eyes. She shook her head and looked at Chaos imploringly before speaking again.

"And what about Team Rocket?" she asked. "Who will lead it now?"

Domino's question was one that had formed in Chaos's mind the moment she had realized Giovanni was dead. She had been thinking and rethinking about it, and of all the possibilities she managed to envision, only one satisfied her. The more she thought about it, the more Giovanni's words echoed in her mind.

"_You would make a decent Team Rocket boss, you know."_

"Well, Chaos?" Domino asked, on the edge of a panic. "Who will take his place?"

"I will," said Chaos firmly. "Before he died, Giovanni told me himself that I'd be a good Team Rocket leader. I'd be more than willing to take the position."

"You?" Domino exclaimed. "But you're a pokémon!"

Domino's remark earned a heated glare from Chaos. The Mewtwo's eyes narrowed dangerously, and she surveyed Domino with a gaze of sheer contempt.

"Do you mean to say that simply because I come from a different species– a _superior_ one, for that matter– I don't have what it takes to lead Team Rocket?" she demanded, her voice rising with anger and edged with undeniable threat.

"No, no, _I _don't care that you're not a human," Domino said quickly, trying to diffuse Chaos's anger. "But I don't know if the rest of the organization will feel the same. How will you keep control over them? How will you get them to listen to you after they've been so loyal to Giovanni?"

"They'll listen to me if I tell them to listen to me!" Chaos retorted. "Unlike Giovanni, I can obliterate their insignificant lives with a single thought! I can reduce this entire city to a mound of smouldering rubble with my powers, if I so desired. Do you honestly think they'll disobey someone like me? I have the potential to wield more power than Giovanni ever did!"

Domino looked away, not answering, but not entirely convinced.

"I don't think they'll readily accept it," she murmured. "And you do realize that Giovanni had other responsibilities other than Team Rocket, right? He was the Viridian City Gym Leader, too, you know. The League will grow suspicious when they realize that Giovanni has suddenly vanished, and they might even investigate it– which is something we really don't want. And _you_ certainly can't be a gym leader. A pokémon with that position would be far too controversial, and people aren't even familiar with what a Mewtwo is–"

"Then why don't you become gym leader?" Chaos suggested. "Tell the Pokémon League that Giovanni decided to suddenly retire and left the job to you because he considered you a good trainer. Just make up something!"

"Won't they want to talk to Giovanni about it?" Domino pointed out.

"Make some sort of excuse!" Chaos snapped. "Say he decided to go live as a recluse somewhere, or something. There's a lot of details to be sorted out, but I don't have all the answers right now! If only he wasn't dead, we wouldn't be dealing with any of this right now! God damn that Nova!"

Chaos slammed her fist down onto the desk. Her eyes were burning with a passionate loathing, and she cursed herself for not having murdered Nova when she had the chance. It was too late, now. She had run off, and Chaos had no idea where she was. Chaos weakly hoped that the injuries the tyranitar had inflicted on her had finished her off, but she somehow doubted it.

"Domino, we have to get this sorted out. I'm going to organize a meeting with the executives and some elite Rockets; they need to be informed of the situation before things slip from control and the entire organization is plunged into chaos."

Domino nodded. "All right. I'll go start rounding them up now." Domino stood up to leave, but before she reached the door, Chaos stopped her.

"Domino," she said, her brow wrinkling in thought. "Where is Orion? I haven't seen him all day."

"He went out for a walk, last time I saw him," Domino answered. "It was right before Nova went to the gym. Why?"

"Because he's probably clueless about this whole situation," Chaos replied. "He better get back from his walk soon, or else he's going to miss an important meeting."

"He'll figure things out somehow," Domino muttered. "I'll see you in a little while, then."

"Yes, Domino," Chaos said quietly, and she looked away from the Rocket as she left. The door shut, and the office was plunged into its usual silence.

Chaos sighed, feeling thoroughly exhausted by everything that had happened over the day. She looked down and saw Giovanni's Persian at her side. The pokemon was lying down, looking quite lost and sullen at the loss of his master. He looked up at Chaos, his eyes wide with sadness, and meowed pitifully. It was obvious he was quite shaken by his owner's death.

Chaos pet the pokémon affectionately, and scratched him behind the ears as Giovanni had often done. She shut her eyes tightly.

"I miss him too, Persian."

* * *

Mount Queyna stood monolithically against the surrounding Johto landscape, contrasting drastically against the otherwise flat terrain. A burning afternoon sun washed over it, causing the placid waters on its summit to glitter and sparkle under the liquid, gold light. A lifeless silence had fallen over it and enveloped every empty cave, every sparkling spring, every cascading waterfall, and every bit of vegetation that made up the mountain.

But this calm, absence of life was shattered the instant two beings materialized out of nowhere in a flash of colourless light.

Mewtwo let out a heavy breath as the energy used for the teleport drained from him. He felt significantly more tired than he had a few moments ago in Viridian Forest, but now was not the time to worry about it. The heavily injured Mewtwo in his arms reminded him that there were more urgent matters to be taken care of.

Nearly unconscious, Nova groaned and stirred slightly in Mewtwo's arms. She looked around weakly, and her tired eyes opened slightly in wonder.

"Mewtwo?" she whispered, her voice raw from all of the screaming and sobbing she had done earlier on. "Where . . . Where are we?"

"We're at the healing spring on Mount Queyna," he told her in a hushed whisper.

Nova turned her head slowly and gazed at the spring. Despite the exhaustion and pain ravaging her body, an awed expression managed to surface on her face.

"It's beautiful."

Mewtwo paused. He suddenly felt compelled to give an answer along the lines of "But its beauty could never surpass your own," but he caught himself before the foolish reply could leave him. He shook his head in bafflement. How could he be selfishly admiring her while she was in such a critical condition? He had to admit that she _was_ beautiful; the way her stunning eyes had lit up upon seeing the spring was entrancing, but . . .

He shook his head again. This was _not_ the time.

Nova leaned heavily against Mewtwo and seemed as if she wouldn't be able to stand on her own feet much longer. Before she could fall, Mewtwo gently lifted her into his slender arms so that he was carrying her. The feeling of being so close to Nova made Mewtwo feel inexplicably nervous and awkward. He could feel a blush spreading on his cheeks, and the feeling was only made worse when Nova curled her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder.

Mewtwo inhaled deeply, trying to ignore the awkward feeling that had settled over him. He walked quickly towards the spring, carrying the limp figure of Nova with him. Soon she had reached the edge of the spring and had to wade through the water to continue. He came to a halt only when the water reached a little more than halfway up his legs.

Nova shifted in his arms, muttering inaudibly to herself.

"Don't worry, Nova, you'll feel better in a moment," Mewtwo whispered to her soothingly.

He gently began to ease Nova into the water, being careful to do it slowly and not just drop the injured Mewtwo. He lowered Nova into the spring until only her head remained above the surface. He watched as the healing properties of the miraculous water immediately began to take effect.

Before his eyes, Nova's wounds closed and healed, and the blood on her skin vanished from sight. The bruises across her body disappeared, and her skin returned to its normal, healthy colour. In an instant, every single injury that the tyranitar had inflicted upon her was seemingly washed away by the cool, sparkling liquid. Her eyes opened wide as energy was restored to her mind and body, and the exhaustion from the battle vanished. She jolted up, gasping, her sudden rejuvenation coming as a surprise to her.

Nova breathed heavily and was shaking in surprise. "My god . . . This water . . . Mewtwo, this is incredible!"

Mewtwo smiled and offered his hand to help her up.

"Refreshing, isn't it? Do you feel better?"

Nova took Mewtwo's hand, and shakingly pulled herself to her feet. She shook her head in wonder.

"Yes . . . I've never felt better in my life," she murmured. "The pain . . . Everything . . . It's gone."

"Yes, I know the feeling," Mewtwo replied, still smiling. "This water did save me from Giovanni once, you know."

Nova instantly froze at the mention of that name. Her eyes widened, and her expression was one of pain and sheer remorse. Mewtwo's smile vanished immediately. He hadn't meant to upset her.

"I– I need to sit down," Nova muttered.

She splashed through the water until she reached the grass, and unceremoniously set herself down. She pulled her legs to her chest and loosely curled her tail around her feet. Mewtwo walked over to her, but she was too preoccupied to notice.

"Nova?" Mewtwo asked cautiously. "Are you all right?"

Nova's breath shuddered and she squeezed her eyes shut.

"No. I'm not." She began to rock back and forth, clearly upset. "Mewtwo, I'm a murderer."

Mewtwo sat down beside her, a pained expression crossing his face. It hurt him to see her so upset.

"It's not your fault, Nova," he told her quietly, trying to reassure her. He wasn't sure why he felt so upset at her distress, considering he was usually indifferent to other people's emotions. "It was self-defence. It was either _you_ or _him_, right? He was an evil human and deserved exactly what he what he was dealt."

"I know it was self-defence, I know he wasn't a good person," Nova retorted, "but that's not the point. He was a living, thinking, sentient being, no different than me. But now he's dead, because of me, and nothing can undo what I've done."

"Exactly," Mewtwo whispered. "It can't be fixed. There's no use in dwelling on it. Be grateful that you were the one lucky enough to survive."

The two of them fell silent for a moment as Nova contemplated Mewtwo's words. Mewtwo watched her intently, and before he could stop himself, he moved his hand over hers and gently clutched it. Mewtwo's mind did a somersault of surprise when he felt her clutch back.

To Mewtwo, time seemed to stop completely, and suddenly, nothing existed to him but Nova. He stared at her, and then at their awkward, paw-like, three-fingered hands. He felt an odd feeling flare warmly in his stomach and chest, and the solitude that had been there for so long thawed away. He was completely transfixed on Nova, and something suddenly dawned on him. She was a Mewtwo, a clone, a shadow . . . just like him.

He wasn't alone.

Mewtwo lifted his head and his amethyst eyes met Nova's silver ones. The two remained completely still, lost in each other's gaze, oblivious to the rest of the world around them. Mewtwo wasn't sure why his heart was pounding so furiously, or why he was so breathless. There was a perfect silence between them, yet he felt compelled to say something.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Nova leaned over and covered his lips with her own, and Mewtwo was silence before he could even begin. His eyes flew open in surprise as his pulse quickened, his mind buzzed, and his senses were electrified. As Nova clumsily kissed him and pulled him closer to herself, they remained attached to each other in an awkward embrace for a few moments before separating to breathe.

Mewtwo stared at Nova, and she looked as equally surprised as he did. They only looked at each other for a second before Mewtwo felt drawn once again to her. He gently pulled Nova closer and sealed her mouth with his own, eager to feel her lips again. Their kiss was awkward and unsure, but the tender passion behind it was undeniable. Mewtwo hadn't felt so alive in his entire existence.

Their lips slowly separated, and they were left to just stare at each other. Mewtwo's mind was a whirl of surprise and confusion.

"Mewtwo," Nova whispered, her voice heavy and her eyes wide. She lifted her hand to stroke Mewtwo's face, but the other clone broke away before she could. The whirlwind of thrill and emotion that Nova had stirred up was too much for Mewtwo to handle.

"I– I think we've stayed here for too long," he stammered. "Mew and Orion are still in Viridian Forest, after all. I think we should go back and see what's going on."

Nova's widened eyes and loving expression disappeared to be replaced with a frown. She crossed her arms. Clearly that wasn't what she had in mind.

"I'm not going back there," she muttered, avoiding Mewtwo's gaze. "Ever. I hate Viridian. It's not worth seeing again."

"Then stay here," he replied. "I have no intention of staying there long. I don't like the place, either."

Nova waved her hand at Mewtwo dismissively and looked away from him, a scowl dominating her features. Mewtwo felt his heart sink. Had he upset her?

"Fine, go on," Nova said flatly. "I'll wait here for the rest of you to come."

Mewtwo nodded and decided to ignore her sudden displeasure until later. There were other things to attend to.

Mewtwo prepared to teleport once more, his energy having been restored from wading in the spring water. He cast one last glance at Nova, and he felt his heart speed up in that peculiar way it had when they had kissed. Surprise and bafflement still lingered in his mind.

He shook his head and pushed the thoughts aside. Without wasting another moment, he teleported away to Viridian Forest.

* * *

Chaos glance around at the meeting room and observed the executives and Rockets that had gathered, all of them talking and whispering in speculation of what was going on. The Mewtwo sighed to herself, not looking forward to telling them what had happened to Giovanni. She could envision the chaos that might ensue, and she shuddered. She prayed silently that she could exhibit the same authority and control that Giovanni had.

Taking a deep breath, Chaos stood up and cleared her throat. Everyone looked over in her direction.

"All right, now if we may begin the meeting–" she began, but was immediately interrupted.

"We can't start a meeting before Giovanni arrives," one executive pointed out.

"Has anyone even seen the Boss today?" another Rocket spoke up. "I tried to get a hold of him, but–"

"Yeah, I noticed he was gone, too," someone else added, and before Chaos could even begin to explain, the entire room erupted into a fervour of discussion. She shook her head and rubbed her temples, as if trying to dispel a headache.

"Giovanni won't be attending this meeting," she nearly shouted, "because he's been murdered!"

For one infinitely small moment, a haze of shock silenced everyone and they could do nothing but stare at Chaos. The silence lasted only a moment, though, before a cacophony broke out, and everyone was talking at once. Chaos was instantly bombarded with questions.

"Murdered? That can't be!"

"– How did this come about? It can't possibly–"

"– This wouldn't have something to do with the other Mewtwo, would it? "

"– The Boss is dead? What about Team Rocket?"

"Yes, we can't manage without a leader–"

"_Silence!_" Chaos thundered, and everyone immediately became quiet under her furious glare. She scanned the room, anger flashing in her golden eyes.

"Yes, this is a crises, I know," she continued. "But how are we going to sort anything out if you're all going to burst into a pandemonium every time I speak? If you absolutely _must_ say something, then do so one at a time!"

There was a pause. Everyone looked around at one another before one Rocket had the courage to ask what everyone was thinking.

"How did he die?"

Chaos swallowed and hesitated to answer. Just thinking about it filled her with a dizzying current of fury and pain.

"Nova murdered him," she said quietly. "Giovanni was attempting to destroy her, but she managed to fight back and kill him."

Everyone began whispering at once at this, some shaking their heads and some exclaiming loudly that they knew the Mewtwos would cause trouble.

"Where is Nova?" an executive asked.

"I don't know," Chaos replied, gritting her teeth. "But her punishment isn't important right now. She can be dealt with later."

"Yes, Nova can be punished later," another executive added confidently. "But what we really must be concerned with is re-instating order to the organization. As Giovanni never chose anyone to take his position in the event that he died, the executives must do what is normally done in his absence; we'll direct Team Rocket as a group until a replacement can be found, and–"

"That won't be necessary," Chaos interrupted with a glare. "I'll take over."

The executive gazed at Chaos skeptically, as did a number of other people. Clearly he thought he idea was ridiculous. Judging by the hushed whispers of a few other Rockets, he wasn't the only on who was surprised by the suggestion.

"You're . . . a pokémon," he said bluntly. "You can't possibly be serious."

"You think I can't control Team Rocket just because I'm a pokémon?" she hissed, eyes narrowing. "You're sadly mistaken if that's what you think. Giovanni himself told me that I would make a decent Team Rocket leader, and that's not something you would here from him everyday."

The executive began to argue, but Chaos cut him off.

"Don't even _try_ to defy me," she said darkly, her eyes beginning to glow with psychic energy. "I am one of the strongest pokémon in the world, and it would be very unwise of you to argue with me."

The room was choked with silence. Everyone exchanged glances, unsure of what to say or do. Some of the faces in the room bore expressions of raw fear, clearly remembering how the original Mewtwo had destroyed the lab on New Island and the previous Rocket base. What was to stop Chaos from doing the same?

Chaos nodded, satisfied with's everyone's compliant silence. She sat down, a smug grin returning to her lips.

"So is that settled, everyone?" she asked. She looked around at the Rockets, challenging them to oppose her. None did; their reaction was only a continuation of the silence that had permeated the room. Chaos's grin spread upon seeing their submission, and the executive who had argued with her was now looking away in defeat.

"Now that we have that clear," continued Chaos, "I want everyone to return to what you'd normally be doing right now. Get back to work. You may have a new boss today, but that isn't an excuse for a day off."

Noise filled the room as everyone left their seats and immediately dove into conversation. Hurriedly, they all left the room to return to work and to spread the news of Giovanni' s death to the rest of the organization. Chaos stood up once they had all left, but noticed that Domino had remained behind. Chaos rose an eyebrow. "Domino? What do you want?"

"There's one matter we didn't discuss," she murmured. "It's not something I really want to talk about, but . . . What are we going to do with Giovanni's body?"

Chaos swallowed and involuntarily clenched her teeth.

"I . . . I hadn't though of that . . ."

"Well, you're going to have to think about it," said Domino, her violet eyes dealing Chaos a sharp stare. She paused before continuing. "Giovanni was always a rather reclusive, secretive man– I suppose it was necessary, so that no one would know he was leader of Team Rocket– so I doubt anyone will notice his absence. But still, if someone finds out that he's dead, the authorities will have to conduct some sort of investigation, and you know that wouldn't be good. So it might be complicated getting rid of his body."

Chaos didn't answer.

"Well?" Domino persisted. "What are we going to do?"

"We . . . We'll have a funeral for him," Chaos answered. "He deserves that much. But we'll do it somewhere secluded, and no one can find out . . . Perhaps we can have a funeral at the Seafoam Islands. I believe he was fond of vacationing there, and no one would notice."

Domino nodded. "All right, then."

"Yes . . ." said Chaos quietly. She looked away from Domino, and her eyes stared at nothing as she lost herself in thought for a moment. She snapped herself back to reality with a shake of her head. "Well . . . You better get back to work, Domino. There are things to be done."

Domino obeyed the order and quietly slipped out of the room.

Having no purpose to stay behind in the empty meeting room, Chaos exited it herself. She stood in the hallway for a moment, observing a group of nearby grunts who were whispering to each other in a hushed but eager tone, most likely discussing the latest news. Chaos moved over to them, wondering if her authority had taken effect already.

"What are you grunts doing, loitering in the corridors?" she barked. "Bet back to work!"

The grunts shrank back fearfully from their new boss, and immediately did as they were told. They ran off in different directions, not wanting to be in any further trouble. Chaos watched, almost incredulously, as they stumbled away. They seemed to fear her as much as Giovanni himself.

Chaos sighed to herself and turned around to go to her new office.

* * *

"Do you think Nova will be okay?" Orion asked, glancing apprehensively at Mew.

The other pokémon, who was sitting comfortably on a patch of moss, didn't hesitate to nod.

"Oh, she'll be fine. Mount Queyna's healing spring does _wonders._"

Orion's brow was furrowed in worry, but he decided to take Mew's word for it. Nova had been in a horrible condition when she left, but Orion had no choice but to trust that Mewtwo was taking care of things. Nonetheless, Orion found himself gazing absently at the trees and greenery that made up Viridian Forest. There were still other things to worry about.

Team Rocket, for one.

Giovanni was dead, so what would that mean for the Team? Orion had to worry about that, considering that Team Rocket was his job, his home, and his life. But could he even stay in Team Rocket anymore? He knew very well that Nova wouldn't go back; she would probably go live with Mewtwo and Mew. Orion also knew that Team Rocket would probably be in a rather turbulent state without a leader, and he didn't want to endure that with only Chaos for company.

And Chaos . . . She would be absolutely furious about the whole situation. He didn't want to be in the way of _that_ . . .

So what was he to do?

Mew seemed to share the same train of thought. "So, Orion . . . What do you plan to do now? Are you going to stay in Team Rocket, or . . .?"

Orion put his face in his hands. He sighed wearily.

"I don't know, Mew, I rally don't. I _want_ to leave and go with Nova, but at the same time . . ." He paused and sighed again. ". . . I don't want to completely leave Chaos."

Mew nodded, her eyes softening with understanding.

"Well, it's up to you, Orion."

"I know . . . I just don't know what to do. I think I want to quit, but I'm really not sure . . ."

Orion began to pace distractedly. His mind was churning as he juggled his thoughts about.

"I guess the only way to make a decision is to go to the HQ," he sighed. "I'll go there and tell whoever's in charge that I'm quitting. We'll see what happens from there."

"Fine. I'll be waiting here, then," Mew told him.

Orion simply nodded before turning away to the rest of the forest. Soon he was lost amongst the woods and heading in the direction of the Team Rocket Headquarters.

* * *

Orion moved silently though the HQ's hallways, his footfalls quiet and inconspicuous, and his presence altogether unnoticed. He observed everything as he went, trying to decide if anyone was acting unusually. Everyone was working as they always did, but Orion did notice clusters of people whispering in the hallways. What the subjects of their conversations were, he didn't know. Had news of Giovanni's death spread? Orion couldn't be certain.

Orion's eyes narrowed in thought as he carefully moved along. Everything seemed calm enough, but wouldn't there be complete disorder if everyone knew that their boss was dead? Even though Giovanni was only one man, he was responsible for giving Team Rocket direction. Without a boss, things would fall apart.

Orion thought about that for a few moments.

_Perhaps someone's already taken up the role of Team Rocket Boss,_ he mused. _Maybe they grasped the situation early one and kept it under control . . . But who?_

There was only one way to figure that out. Go to the Boss's office. Orion quickly began to go in that direction

He wove his way through the corridors until he stood before the elaborate doors of the office. He knocked, hoping that someone would be inside.

"Who is it?"

Orion's scarlet eyes widened slightly. It was Chaos's voice that had answered.

"It's Orion."

There was a heavy pause, as if the person in the office had been taken by surprise. Orion then heard footsteps, and the door was forced open before him. He was met by Chaos, who was glaring at him fiercely.

'Where the hell have you been?" she demanded, grabbing Orion tightly by the shoulders.

"I– I was in Viridian Forest–"

"Do you have any idea what's going on?" Chaos interrupted. Before Orion could answer her, Chaos pulled him into the office, and he stumbled under the sudden action.

Chaos tore herself away from Orion and brought herself to Giovanni's desk. All the paperwork that was usually neatly spread on it was now all over the place, as if whoever had been working there had little experience in keeping it organized. Orion noticed this as he watched Chaos sit down in the seat that only Giovanni had ever sat in.

"Orion, you chose a bad time to go for a walk," Chaos said sharply. "Do you know what's going on?"

"Yes, I do."

Chaos's eyebrows rose inquisitively.

"Really? You know about what happened between Nova and Giovanni?"

Orion nodded and looked away, not wanting to meet Chaos's examining stare.

"Yes, I met Nova in the forest. She was battered from the fight and she told me everything."

Chaos bared her teeth at the mere mention of Giovanni's murderer.

"Really? Where is she now?"

"I don't know," Orion lied. "I told her to go to a Pokémon Center while I came here to check up on things. I don't know if she went or not."

"I see."

Chaos leaned back in her chair, wondering whether or not Orion was telling the truth. It seemed plausible enough, but she always had a nagging suspicion when someone lied.

"Well, do you know that I'm the Boss now?" Chaos asked, deciding to change the subject.

"No, I didn't, but I assumed so when I found you here."

"Yes, well, isn't it great?" she said almost gleefully, a smirk appearing on her lips. "Perhaps I'll rise to become a better leader than Giovanni himself, and his mother before him!"

Orion didn't respond. He gazed at Chaos and observed her smirk, which suddenly unnerved him. A sickening thought crept suddenly into his mind, and it was too powerful to push away.

"When Giovanni tried to murder Nova, it was all plotted out beforehand, wasn't it?" he said suddenly, looking accusingly in Chaos's direction. "And you were behind it too, weren't you?"

Chaos merely blinked, un-phased by Orion's accusation.

"Yes, so what?"

Orion's eyes oped incredulously. "You wanted to murder Nova? How could you do such a thing!"

"She was a nuisance!" Chaos snapped. "She was a threat to Team Rocket! The best course of action was to murder her, so that's what I tried."

Orion shook his head and grimaced. "Chaos, I can't believe you. How can you be so ruthless?"

Chaos's eyebrow's rose in disbelief.

"So you're on Nova's side," she hissed, slowly standing up. She leaned over her desk and her piercing eyes were locked on Orion. Behind her, her tail twitched with unrestrained fury.

"Of course I'm on her side!" Orion spat. "She did nothing wrong!"

"_She murdered Giovanni_!"

Chaos's fists slammed loudly onto the desk's wooden surface. Her eyes momentarily flashed yellow, and a surge of excess psychic energy shook the entire office. She trembled visibly, absolute rage coursing through her.

Orion didn't seem intimidated at all by Chaos's rising anger. Rather, he came towards her, his body rigid from his own worry.

"You're angry because Nova killed Giovanni?" he yelled. "It was self-defence, Chaos! If Giovanni hadn't tried to kill her, maybe he would be alive right now!"

"I don't care!" Chaos shouted, her eyes wild and desperate. "I - don't - _care!_ Giovanni's dead, and that's all that matters! And Nova was the one who pulled the trigger! She didn't have to do it! She could have just destroyed the gun and leave, but no . . . She had to murder him before running off like a coward!"

Chaos's fists were clenched and she trembled violently. Despite the shadows draping over the room, Orion could plainly see her yellow eyes shining with unshed tears. He looked away dismissively, hardly moved by the display.

"Fine, Chaos, think whatever the hell you want," he muttered. "I'm leaving."

The red and yellow Mewtwo spun around and began to walk away. Chaos spoke before he could reach the door.

"What do you mean, 'leaving?'" she demanded.

"I'm leaving," Orion said curtly. "And I'm not coming back. I don't want to be a part of Team Rocket any longer."

Chaos's eyes narrowed and she surveyed Orion with a cold, calculating stare. Orion only stared back, and neither of them moved or blinked. Chaos let out a low, almost inaudible sigh before looking away from him.

"Fine," she said coolly. "Leave."

Orion crossed his arms. "Oh. So that's it? You're not going to kill me? Isn't that Team Rocket policy?"

"Screw the policy," Chaos snapped. "I'm the boss around here and I'll bend the rules as much as I like."

"Well, why aren't you killing me?" Orion asked, almost tauntingly. "You seemed quite keen on murdering Nova. Why not me?"

Chaos turned suddenly to Orion, and her fiercely cold expression made his breath catch in his throat. The feeling it aroused in him was no different than the feeling of being hit by an icy blast of winter air.

"Frankly, Orion, I don't care if you leave," Chaos said. Her voice was calm and quiet, but the underlying darkness in it was unmistakable. "Orion, you were always a useless Rocket. You were– and still are– the Mewtwo who never mattered. Of all of us, you performed the worst in battle, you completed the least assignments, and never accomplished anything worth admiring. Hell, even Nova has always been better than you, and she was always bitter and resentful about being a Rocket."

Chaos paused for a moment and flashed a contemptuous grin in Orion's direction. Orion said and did nothing. He was completely still as he struggled to absorb Chaos's callous words.

Chaos watched as her cruelty sunk in and continued.

"You know, Orion . . . Nothing would be different had you never existed. That's how completely insignificant you are. You're not worth having around, and I'm not going to waste my time killing you. You're not worth that."

Orion swallowed, but his throat was dry and tight. He had to look away from Chaos. He couldn't stand seeing her sadistic smirk, and he couldn't let her see how hurt he was. Every word she said cut through him like a dagger, shredding and wrenching through his soul. Memories of the times that they had been together as lovers began to flood his mind, and the pain he felt only worsened. How could she say such things to him, after he had been so in love with her? He had to squeeze his eyes shut to stop them from watering.

"Why are you telling me this?" he whispered so quietly it was almost inaudible. He looked up at Chaos, his eyes wide in a blend of anguish and fury. "Why? . . . Chaos . . . I–"

Orion nearly choked on his words.

"I . . . I loved you."

This comment sent Chaos into a burst of cold laughter, and Orion had to look away from her, too hurt and embarrassed to stare her in the eye.

"What an insult!" Chaos said coldly, still laughing to herself. Orion winced, feeling as though a knife had been thrust into his heart. "I can't believe something so pathetic could be in love with me! And you probably still are!"

Orion felt the knife twist.

"Do you love me, Orion?" Chaos asked, grinning as a predator might grin at its helpless prey. "Do you?"

"Goodbye," Orion said in a faltering voice. "Don't expect to see me again. Good luck with being the new leader of Team Rocket– I'm sure you'll do well, seeing as you completely lack a heart and soul."

Chaos was about to respond, but Orion was already leaving. He glared at Chaos one last time with glistening eyes before he stormed out and slammed the door behind him.

* * *

Mewtwo's eyes closed for the brief moment that he teleported, and when he opened them, he was met by the sight of Viridian Forest vast expanse of plant life all around him. He only needed to turn his head slightly to see Mew casually perched on a tree branch.

"Ah, I see you're back, Mewtwo," she said, grinning faintly. "Though you look rather red and flustered. Is everything all right?"

Mewtwo paused for a moment, eyes suddenly wide. He wasn't still blushing from that last incident with Nova, was he?

"Everything's fine," he said quickly.

"Is Nova all right?"

"Yes, she's perfectly fine. The spring healed her completely."

"Well, that's a relief. I take it she didn't want to leave Mount Queyna?"

"No, she had no desire to return anywhere in the vicinity of Viridian City. She's still rather shaken by the whole ordeal."

"Understandable."

Mewtwo didn't reply, but instead looked around himself, as if searching for something. Something was missing.

"Where's Orion?"

"He went back to the Team Rocket Headquarters to see what's going on," Mew replied. "And he'll probably be quitting."

Mewtwo smiled. "Ah, I wonder how Team Rocket's dealing with the loss of their leader? Surely there must be a good deal of chaos happening in the HQ."

"Perhaps . . ." murmured Mew. "Unless someone managed to keep things under control. There are many intelligent and resourceful agents in that organization– no doubt someone was able to maintain some sort of order."

Mewtwo was about to give his own speculation on the situation, but he paused to listen to a rustling sound nearby. The sound of someone stepping on brittle branches and leaves rang clearly in the still air.

Mewtwo and Mew both turned to see who was advancing. They immediately realized it was Orion winding through the trees. He walked with a quick, purposeful stride, his body rigid as he moved. His eyes were bright with something like anger, and his face was set in a grim expression. It was the first time Mewtwo had seen Orion look so angry.

"Orion!" Mew called. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm fine," he said curtly, his tone suggesting differently. "I . . . I just had a bit of an argument with Chaos. Nothing really."

"Was she angry that you wanted to leave?" Mew inquired.

Orion shook his head. "No . . . It wasn't that. It was– oh, never mind. Nothing important."

"How's Team Rocket doing?" Mewtwo asked. "Has someone assumed the role of leadership?"

"Chaos has taken over as Boss," Orion answered, earning surprised glances from both Mewtwo and Mew. "And things seem under control. Everyone seemed to be in a bit of shock, but other than that, everything's in reasonable order." Orion paused to roll his eyes. "I'm sure Chaos already has everyone terrified of her. They're probably too scared to go out of control."

"Chaos is the Boss?" Mewtwo asked, eyebrows raised in disbelief. "That's . . . interesting . . ."

Orion nodded. "I suppose it is. But enough of Team Rocket– I really don't want to talk about it anymore. How is Nova? Is she all right?"

"Nova's fine," Mewtwo assured him. "She's perfectly healed."

Mewtwo began to think back to the kiss they had shared, and a red hue involuntarily began to colour his cheeks. Just thinking about it left him feeling awkward and embarrassed all over again.

"Mewtwo, why are you blushing?" Mew asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I . . . I . . . what? I'm doing nothing of the sort!" he retorted. "Why should I feel embarrassed at the mention of Nova?"

Mew giggled, and the sound of it caused a fresh wave of anger and irritation to wash over Mewtwo.

"I don't know," Mew replied, grinning mischievously. "Why do you always get so defensive when she's mentioned?"

Mewtwo crossed his arms and sent Mew a withering scowl. "I do not!"

Orion watched the two arguing and shook his head in exasperation, though he couldn't suppress a small grin. He wasn't the only one who had taken notice to Mewtwo's odd behaviour.

"Well, after you two are done arguing about Nova, can we leave?" he asked. "I don't see any reason to stay here."

"I suppose you're right," murmured Mewtwo. "Fine, we'll teleport back to Mount Queyna. I _am_ beginning to miss it."

Mew nodded in agreement. "Yes . . . I'm sure we'll all be happier once we're away from this city."

Orion said nothing. He looked away from Mewtwo and his predecessor and gazed in the direction of the Team Rocket Headquarters. Images of Chaos flared in his mind, and a curious pain swelled up in his chest. He remembered every cruel word she had said to him, and the pain intensified into a steady throb that tightened his chest until it felt hard to breathe. Orion tried to push the thoughts away into the back of his mind, but they only kept resurfacing. Tears began to sting at the corners of his eyes.

"Orion?" Mewtwo asked, eyebrows narrowed in concern. He wondered why Orion had suddenly fallen silent and was wincing as if he were in some sort of pain. "Are you all right? We're about to teleport, and we were wondering if you were ready."

"What? Oh . . . Yes, of course I'm ready."

Mewtwo nodded, and before anything could be said, a psychic aura of energy wisped around him, and the same happened to Mew. Orion followed suit, as he prepared for his own teleport.

And in one second, all three pokémon vanished, and Orion left everything he had ever known behind.

* * *

End of Chapter XI

Yes, longest chapter yet . . . Don't expect me to be doing _that_ again. ::groans and falls over::


	12. Snapped

Author's Notes: So it's been around half a year since I last updated . . . I won't even bother trying to explain why it's taken me so long because, frankly, there's just no excuse for that kind of procrastination. I sincerely apologize for it.

And starting now, I will no longer be answering all of your reviews at the beginning of each chapter. I'll miss it, but I find it looks too cluttered and it's rather time consuming. But if you have any questions or comments or such that you'd really like to have answered, just e-mail me, and I'd be all too happy to reply. :)

And lastly, thank you for the 100+ reviews. I appreciate that a lot! Please keep them coming! And don't be afraid to give me honest, un-sugar-coated criticism. I really am pleased when people point out what needs improvement, what they don't like, and what just plain sucks. Really. It helps:) Please! Tear this to shreds! Make me cry! I need it!

**Last Chapter: **Chaos decided to make herself Boss of Team Rocket, despite resistance from the Team Rocket executives. Meanwhile, Mewtwo took Nova to Mount Queyna's healing spring to have her wounds from the tyranitar ordeal healed. They then shared an awkward kiss, and Mewtwo quickly returned to Viridian City to see what was going on. Orion confronted Chaos and told her he was leaving Team Rocket. Chaos said some nasty things to him, and he left to go to Mount Queyna with Mewtwo and Mew.

Everyone caught up now? I hope so. ; Even _I've _kind of forgotten what's going on.

* * *

Shadows Like You 

Chapter XII _Snapped_

By: Cosmic Mewtwo

* * *

The ground was soft beneath Nova as she lay motionless on the ground, inches away from the glittering water of the healing spring. The vast expanse of blue above her seemed to stretch out forever in all directions, uninterrupted by the fluffy white presence of clouds. A soft breeze trickled through the afternoon air, brushing gently over her sun-warmed skin. Indeed, everything seemed almost perfect. Almost. 

Nova wrinkled her brow in thought, closing her eyes as she did. Although her calm surroundings would have put her at ease in any other situation, she was far too preoccupied to fall under Mount Queyna's blissful spell. Just when she had recovered from her traumatic battle with the tyranitar, she had something new to worry about: Mewtwo.

Nova sat up, sighing angrily as she did. She had kissed him. They had gently held each others hand, they had shared an awkward moment, and she had kissed him.. And he had kissed her back. She couldn't help but wonder why he had been so insistent to leave, then. Why didn't he say anything or take it any further?

Nova swallowed, her eyes widening into a hurt, fearful expression. _Perhaps . . . Perhaps he doesn't feel the same way I do . . . Maybe he's not in love with me, _she thought miserably. _But . . . he kissed me back . . . He must feel something for me, right?_

Nova paused, and the question hung in her mind like a lingering fog. She needed reassurance, but none came.

Pushing away her troubling thoughts, Nova pulled herself to her feet and looked around herself. The healing spring was as still as glass, reflecting the cloudless sky flawlessly. It was beautiful, she had to admit, but what about the rest of Mount Queyna? She had only seen a fraction of it, and curiosity for what the rest looked like had already begun to stir in her mind. Mewtwo had described it as such a wonderful place, but Nova had to see for herself.

Without hesitation, Nova gathered herself and stepped forward. She began to walk away from the spring, but soon came to an abrupt halt. She had no idea where she was going. Her surroundings were alien to her and she had little idea what direction to go in.

Nova turned her head in search of inspiration and noticed a nearby opening to a cave. She immediately went toward it, not seeing any other way out of the spring except for flying. She stepped quietly into the cave only to discover that it wasn't actually a cave– it was a long tunnel with stone steps leading down into an inky darkness. Curious, Nova stepped downward, wondering vaguely how such a staircase was made. Had Mewtwo himself constructed it?

She quickly dispelled the question from her mind and went down the stairs without question. When she reached the bottom of the steps she noticed that the tunnel opened into a large cavern, and beyond its opening, Nova could see a rocky shore bordered by a still, reflective lake. Beyond the lake, green vegetation sprawled out in all directions, reaching to the rim of the mountain's top. Nova was somewhat surprised by what she saw. She had always imagined Mount Queyna to have an actual summit, but what stretched out before her was a large, almost caldera shaped formation.

Either way, Nova couldn't deny its beauty. A warm sun hung above in the perfect cerulean sky and caused the lake below to glimmer. The air was still here; not a single breeze brushed Nova's skin, and the afternoon heat was pleasantly warm and undisturbed.

Nova began to step forward, but once again realized that she had no idea where to go next. She turned her head, quickly scanning the cavern around her and noticed another set of stairs. Curiosity getting the better of her, she went over to them, wondering where they led.

She walked noiselessly up the steps, her footfalls silent on the cold stone. She wasn't able to suppress a smile. Mount Queyna and everything about it inspired a feeling of awe and wonder in Nova that she had never really experienced before. She had to admire Mewtwo for choosing such a tranquil haven for his home.

Finally, Nova reached the top of the stairs and was met by the largest cavern she had seen yet. It was somewhat round in shape, it's stone walls coming together at the top to form an ornately carved, dome-shaped ceiling. Along the walls were tall slits in the rock that served as windows, allowing slanted beams of sunlight to leak into the otherwise shadowy room. The air was cool, but not unpleasantly so, and Nova considered it rather refreshing after being exposed to the hot sunlight at the healing spring.

Nova looked around the expansive chamber and noticed that despite its size, it was rather empty. Scattered about were a few large rocks and several pools sparkling with Mount Queyna's unique water. Nova swept her gaze around the bare cavern, and her attention was drawn to something very out of place in the middle of the room: a screen. A TV screen, perhaps, or a computer– Nova wasn't sure.

Nova crept up to the solitary piece of technology, puzzlement written all over her face. The screen was very large and flat, and Nova couldn't see any cords or wires providing it with any power. Whatever it was for, it was currently turned off, showing nothing but black.

Nova ran her hand along the screen's smooth, plastic surface. _What **is **this thing? _She wondered. _And why does Mewtwo have it? Is it a TV? Maybe it's a TV, though why Mewtwo would–_

Suddenly, as if in tune with her thoughts, the screen flickered to life. Though it bad been black and lifeless only a moment before, the screen was now crackling with static. Nova's eyes opened considerably. She had done nothingturn it on. She didn't know how she would have, either; as far as she could tell, there were no buttons or switches or anything that might flip on the power. All she had done was wonder whether or not it was a TV and it had turned on itself. Nova puzzledover this for a few moments before an idea dawned on her. Her eyes narrowed in thought.

Had the television telepathically reacted to her _thoughts?_

The idea seemed ridiculous, but Nova felt compelled to find out whether she was right or not. She looked at the screen, eyes narrowed slightly, wondering how she could prove such a theory as a television responding to psychic stimuli. She decided to see if she could change the channel.

Nova had lived in a human world for her whole life, and had lived very much like a human herself. As a result, television had been one of the human luxuries that she had become accustomed to and enjoyed, and she knew enough about the technology to know how to use ut now. Her eyes closed as she focussed her mind, silently ordering to change to a channel that was familiar to her.

The screen obeyed. It flickered to a new channel, one broadcasting a news station with a particularly dull journalist dryly reading a report about something as equally dry– the rising price of Super Potions, or something of the sort. Nova's face brightened with amazement.

So it _was _controlled by telepathy.

She had to make sure. She focussed her mind once more, and again, the channel began changing. She flicked past sitcoms, cartoons, music videos, commercials– but she didn't actually absorb the bombardment of human images. She was far too amazed by the sheer ingenuity of the television to actually see the broadcasts before her eyes.

_But why would Mewtwo need a television, anyway? _Nova wondered. _Is it for some sort of study of humans? Or perhaps he has cameras linked to it for surveillance?_ _But all this seems a bit superfluous_ _for just a surveillance screen . . ._

Nova thought silently for a few moments. _Perhaps it doubles as a computer?_

Immediately reacting to her thoughts, the screen went blank and soon the image of a computer desktop appeared. Nova smiled to herself. _Bingo._

She looked around the screen for a mouse or a keyboard, or some type of control, but found nothing. She smiled again. _Ah, more mind control is needed, _she concluded, smiling in admiration for Mewtwo's invention.

Nova immediately began to click around some of the files, curious to see what it was like navigating a computer without even having to move a finger. She enjoyed it immensely– computer mice had always felt so awkward in her hands, and typing had been nothing short of impossible. She would always have to press each key more carefully than any human would have had to, otherwise her large, round fingertips would press several keys at once and type absolute gibberish. But this . . . This was different.

Nova amused herself greatly as she telepathically ordered the computer to perform basic tasks for her. She opened and closed files, typed the first words that came to her mind and vaguely wondered if there was some way to access the Internet. Nova figured that there must be; the internet was a vast wealth of information, and Mewtwo seemed to be the intelligent type who enjoyed knowing as much as possible about anything.

Nova searched through the computer's files, her silver eyes flicking back and forth as she surveyed the screen. She was just about to click on something, but then something else caught her attention. She had accidentally clicked something, and now a lengthy document had displayed itself on the screen.

In the paragraphs of the text before her, there were several particular words that seemed to stand out strongly to Nova. She skimmed through, picking out things like "New Island," "clones" and "pokémon trainers." What was this?

_New Island was where Mewtwo was created, and where he returned to after leaving Team Rocket, _Nova remembered, and her face creased into a frown. _And he refuses to tell anyone what exactly he **did** there . . . What's his big secret, anyway?_

Curiosity immediately began to override Nova's conscience, and she began to scroll down, eager to read what was before her. She leaned forward, ready to greedily soak up this secret information, but she froze. Her gaze shifted, hesitation shining softly in her eyes. Memories of the last time she had gone snooping around through secret files began to resurface in her mind, and she had to wonder whether she should really be doing it again. The last time that she had done that, she had been going behind Giovanni's back, but it hadn't bothered her. She had never trusted Giovanni and knew he was hiding something he really shouldn't have been hiding.

But this was _Mewtwo's _privacy she was invading. Nova swallowed as a poisonous stab of guilt cut through her. She couldn't read what was before her. It just wasn't right. Mewtwo had saved her life, and they had shared a kiss, even if it had been a short one.

A weary breath escaped Nova's lips. _Fine, I won't read about what happened on New Island_, she decided, crossing her arms. _I'll wait for Mewtwo himself to tell me. If ever._

Nova cast one last look at the computer screen and swallowed. She looked away, almost guiltily, and waved her hand. Instantly, the artificial glow that had illuminated the screen only a moment ago vanished and was replaced by solid black. Nova stayed where she was, motionless, and wondered vaguely where Mewtwo and the others were.

* * *

The teleport ended as quickly as it happened, and when Orion opened his eyes, he realized instantly that he was no longer anywhere near Viridian Forest. 

Floating at least a hundred feet above the ground, he saw flat, forested terrain stretch out all around him. It was full afternoon now, and the sun was generously spreading its luminance across the landscape. Orion lifted his hand to his eyes to shield them from the glare of the sun, and once his pupils adjusted to the bright, afternoon light, he noticed a mountain sticking out quite conspicuously from the rest of the landscape. But Orion wasn't entirely sure if the word 'mountain' described the formation appropriately. It was high, but not spectacularly so, and its summit was more flat and caldera-shaped than pointed– not what Orion would call a mountain. Waterfalls poured from its steep slope, each one gushing from a hole or crack in the mountain's side. From the base of the mountain, rivulets of glittering water reached out far into the surrounding valley.

Orion turned his gaze from the mountain and looked to Mewtwo and Mew, who were floating just beside him. "So this is Mount Queyna? It doesn't look like a typical mountain."

"Yes, this is Mount Queyna," replied Mewtwo. "And you're right; it _doesn't _look like a typical mountain. I think it looks more like a mesa, actually."

Orion nodded. "It's quite stunning, though."

"You've barely seen anything yet," said Mewtwo with a smile. "Follow me. I'll show you around, and then you can call it stunning."

Without waiting for a reply, Mewtwo began to fly in the direction of Mount Queyna. Mew followed immediately, and Orion came right after. As they slowly neared the mountain, Orion stared wide-eyed at the waterfalls cascading from the steep cliffs, marvelled by the sight.

"Where does all this water come from?" he wondered aloud.

"In all honesty, I'm not sure where it all comes from," Mewtwo answered. "I've studied the water systems in Mount Queyna since I first came to live here, and I'm not sure exactly how the spring produces so much of it. Though you can't tell from here, there is an intricate labyrinth of tunnels and caves within the mountain, each of them linked to one another through rivers and streams of water that all leave the mountain in the waterfalls that you see now. You can go to any waterfall's entrance and be certain that it will take you into the mountain's caves."

"I see," Orion answered, his voice hushed with awe.

Mewtwo continued to speak. "And curiously enough, I've discovered that some of the caves have hot springs."

"Hot springs? Really?"

"Yes. I have reason to believe that Mount Queyna may be the remnants of an extinct volcano, but its long dormant magmatic chamber is still warming the base of the mountain and providing the heat for the hot springs."

Orion nodded. "You'll have to show them to me."

"And I will soon enough," Mewtwo answered with a warm smile. "But first I think we had better check up on Nova. I left her at the healing spring, and I think we should go make sure she's all right. She did have a rather shaking experience, after all."

_Not to mention I should make sure she isn't angry with me, _Mewtwo added silently in his mind. _She seemed quite irritated when I left so quickly after we . . . after we had kissed . . . But what was I supposed to do? I . . . Oh, why do I even care if she's angry? That's her problem, not mine! _Mewtwo concluded his thought with a frown and a muffled "Hmph."

Mew noticed the sudden change in Mewtwo's disposition. "What's wrong, Mewtwo?"

"Nothing, Mew. And even if there _was _something wrong, I really wish you'd mind your own business for once!" Mewtwo answered tersely.

A smile crept onto Mew's lips, the warm, bubbly smile Mewtwo had long ago come to despise. "You're quite the bright ray of sunshine, aren't you, 'Two!" she giggled. Orion couldn't help but chuckle at the comment, and Mewtwo in turn rolled his eyes.

Slowly, the trio advanced upon Mount Queyna and they were soon floating over the large lake at its top. Orion looked down at the smooth, un-rippled water, and blinked wondrously. He had never seen such beautiful wilderness as this before. After having spent his entire existence in the urban confines of Viridian City, this was all a more than welcome change. Sure, he had gone on expeditions with the Rockets to different places in the wild of Johto and Kanto, but nothing in his memories compared to this.

The three pokémon continued on, and Orion soon realized that Mewtwo was leading them to an island in the center of the lake. As they came closer, Mewtwo and Mew slowly began to float down to the island's shore, and Orion quickly followed suit. The ground was solid and rocky; there was no transition of sand between the island and the water.

Without a moment of hesitation, Mewtwo began walking toward a large cavern. "Follow me," he

ordered, looking over his shoulder toward Orion. Orion complied and followed Mewtwo into the cave, looking around curiously as he did. The cave's ceiling was easily more than twenty feet high, and Orion couldn't even guess how wide and deep it was. He could see two stone staircases, each leading upward into tunnels of solid darkness.

Mewtwo pointed to one the staircases. "These steps will lead us to the healing spring," he told Orion.

"What about the other steps? Where do they go?"

"They lead to my personal quarters," Mewtwo replied. "Which are off-limits, by the way. Only I am allowed going there. I ask that you respect these boundaries, unlike Mew, here, who thinks she can wander in whenever she feels the need."

Orion chuckled. "You two get along quite marvellously, don't you?"

"Hmm. Quite," replied Mewtwo as his lips twisted into something of a grimace.

Mewtwo was the first to begin ascending the stone staircase. Mew floated just beside him, and Orion was the last in line. The passage upward was hidden in darkness. The only source of light was the sunlight leaking in from the exit at the very top, which Orion assumed was the entrance to the spring. After several moments of walking, they finally reached the top of the steps and entered into what was perhaps the most beautiful part of Mount Queyna.

The large pond of water before them was clearer than anything Orion had ever witnessed before. It sparkled with shocking clarity, each ripple of it reflecting light with a soft intensity, like liquid diamond. At just a glance, Orion could instantly tell how pure and untainted it was. Small waterfalls trickled into the spring from the rock walls that enclosed the area from the rest of the world. Ripples disturbed the surface of the water, fading only as they reached the center of the spring.

Surrounding the spring was vegetation, understandably enough. Bushes and shrubs clustered near the shore, and the rest of the ground was covered by a vivid, almost unnaturally green grass. It was nothing short of paradise.

Orion was almost at a loss for words. He knew little of wilderness and nature, but any other pokémon being introduced to the place would still react with the same sense of awe. "So this is the healing spring?"

"Yes," replied Mewtwo, but his attention seemed to be diverted elsewhere. He scanned the spring quickly, his eyebrows knitted in puzzlement. "Where did Nova go?"

"Perhaps she went exploring," suggested Mew. "I would imagine she would grow bored waiting around the spring."

Mewtwo nodded. "That's a valid point. Fine, Mew, you can show Orion around if you'd like. I'm going to go search for Nova."

Mew and Orion murmured their agreements, but Mewtwo didn't take time to reply. He had already made his way to the exit of the spring and had begun to descend the stone stairwell. He disappeared quickly from Mew and Orion's sight, vanishing into the darkness of the tunnel.

_Where in god's name would she have gone? _Mewtwo wondered. _Nova doesn't know her way around Mount Queyna. Why wouldn't she have waited for me to return? She certainly wouldn't have left, right? She didn't seem _that _upset._

Mewtwo reached the bottom of the steps. He paused there, staring at nothing in particular for several moments. His eyes looked past the cave's entrance and lingered on the lake before he suddenly swung his gaze to the side. He noticed the other staircase, the one that led to his personal chambers, and wondered whether or not Nova had decided to explore up there. A frown clouded Mewtwo's face. He didn't like the idea of someone else sneaking about in _his _territory.

Mewtwo neared the other set of stone steps, and once he was at the bottom step, he paused again. His eyes narrowed suddenly, as if he was deep in concentration.

Yes. She had been there, Mewtwo was sure of it. He could feel her presence there, even though she wasn't there physically. Rather, he could feel a vague psychic residue there, a lingering signature of her presence. All living, sentient beings left this sort of "signature"; it was actually caused by the mind releasing excess psychic energy that built up in the brain, a psychic "scent_", _so to speak. Psychic pokémon, obviously, left the strongest residue behind, and it was only other psychic pokémon that could detect that such a thing existed. It required a considerable amount of concentration, though.

Mewtwo closed his eyes and allowed his mind to wander up the steps. Nova's presence began to feel stronger. She _had _gone up the stairs.

Mewtwo began to ascend the steps, moving quicker with each passing second.What was she doing up thereanyway? True, she didn't know anything about Mount Queyna, and certainly wouldn't have known that at the top of the steps was Mewtwo's private chambers, but Mewtwo felt an anger begin to simmer within him all the same.

He reached the last step. Without hesitation, he stepped through the arched doorway that led into the cavern-like room. His eyes scanned the room and quickly locked on Nova, who was seated in front of the blank surveillance screen.

"Nova," said Mewtwo, his tone terseand just barely concealing his displeasure. "What are you doing here?"

Nova, who obviously hadn't expected anyone to show up, looked over in surprise. "...W-What?" she stammered. "Uh, I . . . I was just wandering around, and I found this place by accident. Am I not supposed to be here?"

Mewtwo was about to answer, but stopped himself. His mind suddenly registered that Nova was sitting in front of his computer– his computer which contained some_ very_ confidential data that _no_ one was supposed to see. She hadn't been searching through his files, had she?

"What are you doing here?" Mewtwo demanded. "You're not allowed here! These are my personal quarters– no one else is allowed here!"

Nova stood up, a furious blush beginning to inch across her cheeks. "I– I'm sorry!" she said quickly. "I . . . I had no idea, Mewtwo– I was . . . I was just exploring and I really didn't mean to"

"What were you doing?" interrupted Mewtwo. "You weren't using that computer, were you?"

Nova opened her mouth to respond, but found no words. She could _feel_ her blush now– the burning embarrassment creeping across her cheeks was unmistakable. "Well . . . I was just looking at it . . . I accidentally discovered that it was a computer, really. Originally I thought it was just some surveillance TV, but–"

Mewtwo interrupted her again. "You didn't look at anything you weren't supposed to, did you?"

"No! I didn't!" Nova snapped as she crossed her arms in defence. "Listen; I didn't even know I wasn't supposed to be in here! But I'll have you know that I _did_ accidentally find some files on that computer. Files about New Island, actually. But I didn't read them. I figured you wouldn't appreciate having your privacy violated like that. But apparently you don't think very highly of me– you just automatically assumed that I'd be nosy enough to snoop around through your things! But now I wish I _had_ read what I'd found! Obviously you don't trust me very much, and because you're so damn secretive, maybe that's the only way I would have actually find out anything about your past!"

Nova's quick outburst seemed to have had quite an effect on Mewtwo. He stood motionless where he was, blinking several times in utter shock. No one had ever dared to give him such a telling-off. The only person who had ever come close was Mew, but she had never rendered Mewtwo so speechless. Mewtwo wasn't even sure _why _he couldn't seem to find any words to throw back at her. Her words had shocked him and had almost made him feel . . . Well, they had almost made him feel slightly guilty for snapping so harshly at her.

"Nova . . ." Mewtwo began, but he fell silent before he could finish whatever it is he wanted to say. He frowned, suddenly angry at himself. He could _not _apologize and admit that she had actually made him feel guilty. "Just don't come in here ever again. Understood?"

"Why not?" Nova retorted as she advanced upon Mewtwo. "Why do you have such a need to shut everyone out all the time and be so bloody secretive? What is it that makes you so paranoid?"

Mewtwo fumed silently. He turned his back to Nova, ready to storm back down the stairs and vent his anger elsewhere. But Nova continued.

"And now you're just going to walk away?" she cried, her voice shrill with disbelief. "Mewtwo, I have no idea what to think of you! Why are you suddenly being so cold towards me?" The Mewtwo paused. She let out a tired sigh before quietly adding, "And why did you bother kissing me earlier?"

Mewtwo froze. He turned his head slightly, to face Nova again. The mere mention of the kiss stirred within him a burning sentiment of embarrassment, but he was determined not to blush like the complete fool he seemed to be becoming lately. " I don't know why I kissed you!" he spat, the words leaving him before he could even realize just what he was saying. "It was an accident. I have no idea why I succumbed to something so utterly foolish. I can't even remember what was crossing my mind then."

"So it meant nothing." Nova's voice was hollow now, void of any emotion except for a faint trace of anger. "Fine. You don't feel anything for me, Mewtwo? Well, maybe it's better if you don't. Obviously you don't trust me."

Mewtwo crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. He stood rigidly, offering no reply. Nova growled under her breath, infuriated that all Mewtwo could respond with was a hardened glare. She couldn't believe how callous his behaviour had suddenly become. Without a word, she brushed by him, making a point to give him a good shove as she went past. Mewtwo growled at her mild assault, but Nova didn't hear him. Within moments, she had disappeared into the blackness of the tunnel.

The room fell silent once Nova left, but the anger and tension that had been stirred up seemed to still linger in the air like a fog, as if it were something material and tangible. Mewtwo heaved a sigh of annoyance. Had he any hair, he would have pulled it out in utter frustration. Instead, a blue aura of psychic energy flared up around him. In his rage, his powers were clearly beginning to slip our of his control.

It took several moments for him to restore calmness to himself. He forced himself to concentrate on calm, comforting things and inhaled deeply as he did. Slowly, his anger ebbed away like a passing storm, and he was left with a vague feeling of guilt. He couldn't believe how easily he had lost his temper.

Mewtwo groaned to himself and delicately massaged his temples. He could feel the dull pangs of a headache beginning; the pain was a gentle throb, but it seemed to intensify with each passing moment. It was if the guilt and stress that had built in his mind had become a physical burden, weighing him down like lead. He could think only of Nova. Nothing else. And as his weary mind continued to throb out troubled, burnt-out thoughts, one line repeated itself incessantly in his mind...

_What have I gotten myself into?_

* * *

There was a dead Rocket at Chaos's feet. He was of a rank little higher than grunt– not that it really mattered. All that mattered was that he was dead.

It had happened suddenly. Too suddenly– Chaos wasn't even entirely sure what had happened, even though she had done it. One moment, the Rocket was alive, speaking, and the next moment, Chaos's rage toward the subordinate had developed into such an unholy fury that she had completely lost it.

She had strangled him. She had felt anger before, but nothing compared to the anger that had pulsed through her veins during the moments she had murdered him. It was as if a separate being had entered her body and possessed her to wrap her hands around the man's neck, squeezing him as tightly as she could. She had watched him writhe uselessly in her grasp and she had heard his strangled pleas for mercy. She had read the utter terror in his eyes, and it had spurred her to squeeze harder. She had become a monster, relishing in his muffled screams and the way she could feel his pulse racing furiously just beneath his skin. It had all stirred her to choke him more forcefully, and smash his head against the wall as a final insult to him.

She had savoured the feeling of his pulse vanishing, the feeling of his heart grinding out that last, struggling beat. But it only lasted a moment. The instant that his body slackened and his eyes lost focus, Chaos had felt her anger suddenly disperse. She had unclenched her hands, and he had fallen into a broken heap on the floor of the office.

And now he was dead at her feet. She could do little more than stare at him, numbed by shock at her own animalistic actions, wondering what had provoked her to snap in such a manner. He had only come into the office to announce that a recent mission with a few other Rockets hadn't gone as planned. Nothing unspeakably shameful, really. But Chaos had been working too hard all day, all week, stretched too thin– and the announcement of more bad news had only sent her into a heated rant against the Rocket. The Rocket, in turn, had muttered something about her inadequacy as Boss, and that's when she remembered losing it.

Chaos blinked. She stared down at the man she had just slaughtered, her golden eyes wide. She couldn't really believe what had just happened– she had never completely lost control like that. Involuntarily, she stepped away from the body, shaken by its mere presence. She stumbled away, towards her desk. She needed to sit down, she needed a drink– anything.

Chaos reached her desk and slumped heavily into her chair. She remained still for almost a minute without so much as fluttering her eyelashes. Her eyes stared emptily into the hollow blackness of the office, her gaze blank and unfocussed. With a trembling had, she reached for one of the desk's larger drawers and pulled it open. Within it were several glasses and a bottle of something alcoholic– brandy, most likely, something left over from Giovanni's days as Boss. She pulled out the bottle and a glass and plunked them onto the desk-top. Without wasting a moment, she opened the bottle and poured herself a glass.

She sipped it greedily, downing half the glass in only a few moments. A sigh escaped her lips as she set the glass back down._ I really needed a drink . . ._

Chaos had been drinking a lot lately, more and more each day since she had assumed the role as Boss. It was a typical Boss thing. Giovanni had had a fondness for it, too, and Chaos only now realized why. Directing Team Rocket was a difficult task, much more difficult than she had previously thought. There was so much work to do, so many things to over-see, so many burdens to carry . . Alcohol was a wonderful way of numbing the stress, Chaos had discovered. And Giovanni had made ruling Team Rocket look so _easy_.

But Giovanni had never been in Chaos's situation. He hadn't lived to see Team Rocket face the horrifying jeopardy of collapsing that it was facing now. The entire organisation was completely divided over Giovanni's death and Chaos's rise to power. Half of the Rockets seemed to be going along with the idea of having a new boss, but a good deal seemed to despise the idea of Chaos being leader. They only obeyed her out of total fear of being obliterated. It was foolish idea, after all, to cross a Mewtwo.

Chaos had a decent grip over the organization, but she worried incessantly about how such a delicate balance would last. She knew the executives would begin plotting to dispose of her. They were quiet for now and complied to Chaos's wishes, but Chaos knew very well that they did _not _like her as Boss. Her lack of experience was obvious, and Team Rocket had been on shaky ground since Giovanni's death. Missions had grinded almost to a halt, and the flow of profits had reached an incredible low. There were so many things to put in order and take care of that Chaos felt completely swamped with work.

It didn't help that Nova and Orion had left. When all of the Mewtwos had been present and actively working for Team Rocket, the organization had doing better than any other point in its history. The amount of money and pokémon being raked in by the Mewtwos was astronomical. And that had only been the beginning. Giovanni had planned so much more for them; he had envisioned using them to overthrow the League and assume total control of Kanto, and soon after, Johto.

But with two of the Mewtwos gone and one stuck behind a desk all day, operations within Team Rocket had almost ceased to exist. Chaos had a lot to worry about, and it was no wonder she had been drinking incessantly. She couldn't really remember the last time she had been completely sober. And tonight hadn't been the first time she had snapped under all of the stress. But tonight had been the first time someone had died as a result.

Chaos downed the rest of her glass before quickly refilling it again. A tired sigh shuddered from her and she rubbed her head, only noticing now that her head was throbbing with the beginnings of a headache. She hadn't slept decently in days, and the excess drinking wasn't helping her too much, either. She couldn't even remember how long she had been Boss.

And she couldn't remember the last time she had felt like herself.

_What's happened to me? _She wondered. _I . . . I don't even recognize myself anymore. This isn't what I was like before Giovanni died . . .Oh, god . . . As pathetic as it is, I miss him. I reall_y, _really do miss him. If only . . . Oh, I wish he was alive. God-damn Nova! I wish she was the corpse lying dead on my floor right now, instead of that Grunt!_

A knock sounded at the door. Chaos snapped her head angrily toward the source of the noise. "Who is it!"

A pause. "It's me, Domino."

"Come in, then."

One of the office doors cracked open, and Domino looked in. Chaos smiled at her, almost in relief. Of course, the smile contrasted oddly with Chaos's exhausted appearance, and nearly bordered on deranged. Domino cautiously stepped into the office.

"Ah, Domino, it's comforting to have you pay a visit," said Chaos, and she meant it. Domino was one of the few Rockets who had managed to remain completely level-headed during the entire crisis facing Team Rocket. There was something about Domino that exuded complete control– she always seemed to be on top of things and perfectly alert in any situation. Chaos admired that and had been turning to Domino quite a bit lately for help. She had become Chaos's advisor of sorts.

Chaos waved her hand towards the chair in front of her desk. "Please, take a seat, 009."

Domino began to come closer to the desk. "Thank you, Chaos. I'm sorry if I happen to be bothering you, but I wanted to talk about– Oh god."

While Domino had been walking towards Chaos, she had accidentally stumbled on something lying on the floor. A quick glance downward revealed to her the dead body of the Rocket that Chaos had killed.

Domino's eyes widened slightly at the sight of the dead man. Slowly, she raised her gaze to Chaos. Her cool, steady expression masked the shock she was experiencing. "Chaos? He's . . . He's dead, isn't he?

Chaos clenched her teeth slightly. "Yes. That he is."

"And you killed him?"

" . . . Yes."

"Why?"

If Chaos's skin hadn't been such a dark shade, a blush of sheer embarrassment would have been visible on her cheeks. She couldn't bring herself to admit how she had lost control of her self. "He displeased me."

"Well, god, what did he do?"

"He failed a mission."

Domino leaned her head forward incredulously. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Chaos had murdered the Rocket just because he had failed a mission? Even Giovanni had never been so violent. Granted, he had never been the most pleasant man to work for, but he had never _killed _his employees so rashly. He had only dealt out that kind of punishment for the worst of offences, such as betrayal to Team Rocket, or plotting to have him murdered.

"Chaos, you can't do that!" Domino hissed. "Things are shaky enough as it is, right now. You can't just go around murdering everyone who works for you. What kind of affect is that going to have on the Team?"

"It's one Rocket," Chaos snapped. "Who will notice? And who will care? Maybe this can work to my advantage, Domino. If the rest of the organization finds out about this, maybe they'll be completely terrified and be more obedient."

"Some of them, maybe, but what about some of the executives?" Domino argued. "I wouldn't be surprised if they were already planning to get rid of you, and this incident isn't going to help your case any."

Chaos snorted in amusement, sipping again at her brandy. "How in god's name would they go about getting rid of me? I'm a _Mewtwo. _An exceptionally well-trained one, at that, thanks to you, Domino."

"I don't know! They could come up with something! Listen, the point is, we're in a really dangerous situation here, Chaos. And if you haven't noticed, almost nothing is being accomplished around here lately. We need _you _to be out doing missions with us. There's so much more we could do with a Mewtwo's assistance. Maybe you could just give your position to one of the executives and leave it at that?"

"Absolutely _not,_" Chaos retorted. "You know very well that the executives will fight tooth and claw for the position as soon as they get the opportunity. It'll be one, huge, messy power-struggle within the ranks of Team Rocket, and there won't be much left of the organization after it's over. But I have the force to keep everyone in line and stop that from happening. No one in their right mind is going to cross the Mewtwo with the ridiculously powerful psychic abilities!"

Exasperated, Domino sighed. "Fine. You're the Boss. Do as you wish." She paused for a moment, hesitating. Finally, she looked at Chaos almost pleadingly. "But, please– could you just _consider_ taking some time off from all of the office work you do? You're the most efficient field agent we have. There's so much that could be accomplished if you just came out and did a few missions every now and then."

Chaos turned her chair so that she faced the windows behind her desk. Her expression had hardened into a glare, and she took another sip of her drink. There was a shadowy aura about her that was eerily reminiscent of Giovanni.

The Mewtwo turned her head slightly, just enough to cast her stare at Domino. "I will keep that in mind, 009. You're dismissed, now."

"But I– "

"Save it for later. I have things to do right now, Domino. Papers to fill out, plans to make, bodies to dispose of . . . I'm a busy pokémon."

Domino rolled her eyes. "Of course, ma'am. Sorry to disturb you." And without a further word, the Rocket Elite had turned on her heel and exited the office, making sure to step over the body rather than trip over it again.

Chaos looked back to her desk. There was a sprawl of paperwork cluttering the desk's surface, and Chaos felt her headache intensify just at the thought of it. So many things to attend to . . . God, she was tired of caring.

The Team Rocket leader let out something of an angry hiss. She slammed her glass down onto the desk, clearly frustrated.

_I can't believe Team Rocket is in such a mess! _She thought furiously._ Thanks to Nova, of course. God, I hate her._

The mere mention of Nova brought a grimace to Chaos's face. _Nova _had ruined everything. _Nova _was supposed to be dead. But, no, instead she was frolicking free somewhere with Mewtwo and Orion.

But then a sudden smirk crossed Chaos's lips. _Oh, Nova can remain free for now, _she concluded to herself. _But I'll see to it that she pays. She won't get away with this. I'll see to it that she wishes that she _had _been killed by that Tyranitar. _

Chaos smiled, all too pleased with her own thirst for vengeance. Setting everything else on her mind aside, she turned back to her work while images of Nova being tortured and slaughtered danced about in her mind. She eagerly dove into her work. She sorted through files, re-arranged things, and sifted through heaps of paper– yes, she could do this. It wasn't so bad. She could handle the border-line migraine pounding a tattoo in her head, and the stress that seemed to have become a living extension of herself.

It was amazing what a little motivation could do.

* * *

It seemed that Mewtwo had slipped into his old patterns again.

Night had swept across Mount Queyna, blanketing the landscape with its star-spattered cloak and bringing with it a profound coolness that seemed almost tangible under the moon's gentle glow. Tonight the moon was only half-full, like a celestial eye half-shut from sheer weariness. And underneath the moon's tired vigilance, Mewtwo was brooding again.

He was overlooking the lake that filled Mount Queyna's summit. He sat motionless perched at the edge of a cliff jutting out from the island and into the water. His pale skin shone a ghostly white under the moon's gleam, as if he were a statue hewn from white marble. His eyes were the only feature about him that seemed to retain any life. Beneath his lightly furrowed brow, they gleamed brightly with intelligence. Clearly he was deep in thought, as he usually was.

And as usually happened when he was deep in thought, a certain pink pokémon decided it was about time to interrupt his brooding.

Mewtwo sensed Mew's presence before she even had a chance to say anything. "I know you're sneaking up behind me, Mew," he sais flatly. "And before you come any closer, I'm going to tell you that I have no wish to see anyone right now, and that I suggest you leave."

Mew rolled her eyes. "What is this place, Sulk Central?"

Mewtwo turned his gaze towards the smaller pokémon. "What do you mean?"

"Well, Nova and Orion seem to be about as chipper as you, this evening," Mew remarked. "Nova's been sulking around the Spring all night, and Orion has been moping about in the caves. What gives?"

"Well, I can't explain Orion's behaviour, but I can tell you that Nova's probably fuming about the fight she and I had earlier." Mewtwo noticed the inquisitive look on Mew's face. "No Mew," he quickly snapped, "I do _not _have any desire to talk about it with you."

"Mewtwo, what did you do?" Mew sighed. "Don't tell me you made Nova angry with you already!"

"I tend to have that effect on people."

"I don't know _what _you did, Mewtwo, but you had better go apologize to her right now, mister!"

Mewtwo stood up abruptly, a growl escaping his throat as he did. "Absolutely not! She's just as much at fault here as I am!"

"I don't care!" Mew retorted. "Someone has to patch things up!"

Mewtwo ignored her. "This was all a mistake . . ." he muttered. "I never should have brought them here . . ."

"You have to be kidding me," Mew said quietly, staring at Mewtwo with wide eyes. "Mewtwo, do you remember what you were you like before you found out these other Mewtwos existed? Do you? You were nearly _dying _of loneliness, if that's even possible. You were a complete emotional wreck– do you have any idea how much I worried about your state of mind? You were on the brink of _insanity_. That's how utterly lonely you were!"

"Yes, well, I don't think I'm really cut out for companionship, Mew," Mewtwo snapped. "I'm better off as a loner, and you know that. Don't you see that I have a tendency to completely repel others?"

"Well, if you'd just keep your attitude in check once in a while–"

Mewtwo interrupted her. "Mew, do you remember what happened the last time I had friends? The clones? Remember them?"

Mew sighed. Mewtwo seemed to finally be putting her boundless patience to the test. "What, Mewtwo? What happened the last time?"

"My attachment to them was used against me, that's what happened!" Mewtwo hissed. "Giovanni came here and forced me to obey him, to submit to his will, or else he would have had my companions tortured and probably killed. I was completely helpless. Being attached to someone else had left me totally vulnerable!"

"And you're afraid something like that will happen if you get to close to Nova?" Mew said incredulously. "Mewtwo, you're being totally ridiculous. You're just making up excuses– I _know_ you're in love with her!"

A familiar burning sensation crept across Mewtwo's cheeks as his face reddened with a blush. He stared at Mew with a hard, bitter glare. "I am _not_ in love with her!"

Mew shrugged and replied calmly, "You can deny it all you want Mewtwo, but if you had any idea how plainly obvious all the signs are . . ."

"Signs! What signs? What are you talki–"

It was Mew's turn to interrupt Mewtwo. "Mewtwo, why are you denying it? What are you so afraid of? You need to go apologize to that girl right now!"

Mewtwo crossed his arms defiantly, giving him the air of a rebellious teenager arguing with a parent. "And if I don't?" he challenged.

"You'll be making the biggest mistake of your life."

Mewtwo could only blink at Mew, taken aback by her simple and blunt reply. Before he could even get his mouth around a good come-back, Mew began flying away. Mewtwo found it shocking to see her so angry.

He took a step after her. "Mew, please–"

"Good-night, Mewtwo," she answered curtly, not even bothering to look back. "I hope you're happy. You really have a talent for frustrating people."

Mewtwo turned his back to her, and flopped down onto the spot where he had been sitting earlier. "Fine. Be moody. I really can't be bothered with you," he growled.

Mew didn't seem to hear him, and if she had, she didn't care. She continued flying away until she had completely disappeared. Mewtwo was once again left alone to brood by himself. _Splendid, _he thought sarcastically. _I've turned everyone on this bloody mountain against me. But what does it matter? I'm better off alone. Solitude is so much simpler– I don't have to worry about pleasing anyone else, or care about how they feel. What possessed me to bring them here, anyway? I'm completely functional on my own. Right?_

He looked up at the moon as if expecting it to answer his query. But, as expected, it remained silent, keeping Mewtwo alone with his thoughts.

Alone. He was always alone with his thoughts.

_Perhaps Mew had a point, _He thought reluctantly. _I . . . I was losing grip on my sanity before I found out about the other Mewtwos. I wasn't sleeping, I was barely eating . . . I was just barely existing. Do I really want to sink to that again?_

Mewtwo heaved a sigh. He leaned forward slightly, covering his face with one hand. He was so tired of arguing with himself over these things. He was tired of thinking. He wanted nothing more than to just shut his brain off and float in a blissful sea of blackness for several weeks, isolating himself from his own thoughts and emotions.

_But of course that's impossible, _he thought angrily. _But I could always do the next best thing. Go to sleep._

The clone nodded and stood up, deciding to do just that.

* * *

End of Chapter 12

Well... That was totally not worth months and months of waiting for. I'm sorry for that craptacular chapter. You can throw rotting fruit at me if you'd like.


	13. Calm Before the Storm

Author's Notes: Thank you as usual for your comments. They're always appreciated. It's good to know people are still reading despite my hideous inactivity and lacklustre updates.

Though this chapter came a little quicker than the last, it was still an ungodly struggle. I could barely bring myself to stay focussed on it. Either I've developed some form of attention deficit disorder or this chapter is the most uninteresting yet. I'm guessing that it's the latter, so while you still have the chance, click 'Back' and find yourself something better to read. Just a warning.

And to Sylvian Viridian: Nah, I'm not a fan of Yu-Gi-Oh (did I spell that right?) I know next to nothing about it, actually. Interesting that you should notice some similarities, though.

**Last Chapter**: Nova and Mewtwo got in a fight, temperamental as they are, Chaos snapped and ended up killing some unfortunate grunt, everyone at Mount Queyna sulked, sulked, and sulked a little more, and Mewtwo had a dandy little argument with Mew about Nova. Yep, that just about covers it.

* * *

Shadows Like You

Chapter XIII _Calm Before the Storm_

By: Cosmic Mewtwo

* * *

The weather had undergone a sudden and dramatic change over Mount Queyna. The area was well known for erratic bursts of violent and destructive weather, and after having spent the past several weeks basking in strangely undisturbed sunshine, it was no real surprise when a storm finally struck the mountain, full-force.

The sky had lost the gentle blue hue that it had maintained for so long. Now, an opaque shroud of blackness covered the heavens, smothering whatever sunlight was hiding behind it. The clouds were dark and turbulent, groaning with thunder as they churned along like great, rumbling beasts and drenching the earth below with torrents of cold rain. An occasional crack of lighting would split the sky in two, illuminating the otherwise darkened clouds for the briefest moment. An instant later, the atmosphere would let out a loud snarl of thunder that rumbled deeply through Mount Queyna and through the rest of the surrounding valley.

As a result, the inhabitants of Mount Queyna had been forced to retreat inside to the shelter of the caves and labyrinthine caverns of the mountain. And they didn't like the arrangement at all.

The three Mewtwos living on the mountain were about as cheerful as the turbid weather that raged outside. For the past few days, they had all been keeping to themselves rather gloomily, but something about the arrival of the storm had driven them all into even deeper levels of sullenness. Mewtwo, predictably enough, had shut himself in his personal chambers to brood alone, refusing to let anyone enter. He had been wallowing in his self-imposed prison for two days straight now, leaving his cave for nothing. Nova, equally as moody, had also vanished somewhere to be by herself– no one was sure exactly where she had disappeared to, but considering the number of caves that were concealed within Mount Queyna, it was no surprise.

It was in one of these many caves that Orion had decided to hide himself in. It was a cave somewhere in the belly of the mountain, littered with pools of water and scattered patches of vegetation. The sound of trickling water echoed faintly through the average-sized cavern, as there was most likely a running stream nearby. It was a calming place, a soothing place, as most of Mount Queyna was, yet Orion didn't feel very soothed by it at all.

He sat on the floor of the cavern, his back against the stone wall. He was very still, save for his eyes, which roved slowly around the considerably darkened cave. Eventually, he shut his eyes, choosing to listen to the silence around him that was interrupted only by the distant rumbles of thunder. He had never heard anything quite like it when he had lived in Viridian City. He had indeed experienced thunder storms when he had lived in the city, but they could never have compared to this. But then again, nothing in Viridian City could compare to Mount Queyna. They were two different worlds completely.

In some ways, Orion had to admit that he missed Viridian City. His move to Mount Queyna had been a rather difficult transition. He had been forced to leave behind his rather 'human' life, and all the luxuries it had to offer, but more importantly, he had left behind Team Rocket.

He missed Team Rocket already. He wasn't entirely sure why, exactly– after all, everything it stood for was _wrong _and he had committed many crimes while he had been a Rocket. But a life as a Rocket was all he knew. Team Rocket was all he had ever had; he couldn't really think of a time when his life hadn't revolved around training, or completing a mission, or doing whatever it was Giovanni had ordered for him to do at the time. He missed it sorely, even if it was only because being a Rocket at least gave him something to _do._

_But what I was doing was wrong, _he thought immediately. _I mean, it's not like I ever did something _really _bad, like kill someone, but I certainly did steal a lot of pokémon. I was only following orders, I know, but those pokémon still belonged to someone. Team Rocket had no right in taking them away._

But another thought sprang up instantly to strike back: _But what gave those trainers the right to steal those pokémon from the wild in the first place? Team Rocket was just stealing something that had already been stolen. Could those pokémon truly be any unhappier being with Team Rocket than they had been with their previous trainers?_

The argument raged on within Orion's mind. _That still doesn't make it right. I can't rationalize this sort of thing. Oh, if only I was still in Team Rocket– I wouldn't even have the time to worry about these things!_

Orion sighed. He had to start thinking of something else before he lost himself in philosophical muck and began to ponder about something hopelessly abstract, like what exactly made something 'right' or 'wrong' in the first place. These were moral dilemmas he did not have the patience to settle. So his mind begin to wander once again, and soon he was thinking of something considerably worse that bothered him a great deal more: Chaos.

Chaos was still a heavy presence in Orion's mind. She had a way of doing that, lingering in the back of people's minds long after she was gone. Orion knew very well that Chaos shouldn't have even been crossing his mind, but he couldn't help it, and he was disgusted with himself for it. She had treated him with such condescension and had tossed him aside just like all of the other men she had enchanted, yet Orion still found himself hopelessly fixated on her.

He still loved her. It was as simple as that. He denied it with considerable adamance, of course, but it was true. Paradoxically, he loathed her at the same time. He hated her. He cringed just thinking about her manipulative ways, and he hated her for creating the hollow ache that throbbed dully in his chest. He couldn't stand that she was somehow occupying half of his waking thoughts. But despite the poisonous behaviour Orion knew Chaos was capable of, he couldn't stop himself from admiring her intelligence and charm.

_I can't believe I'm even thinking about her right now . . ._ Orion thought miserably. _She treated me like dirt! Sometimes I doubt if there's even a single drop of compassion in her! I wish someone would make _her _feel worthless– then she might reconsider how she behaves . . . _Orion let out a low growl, and thought viciously: _Well, at least Giovanni is dead. And I hope Chaos is completely miserable about it. I hope she's completely crushed. _It was a cruel thought, but Orion was too furious to care, and rightfully so.

That's when he caught a faint glimpse of something pink peeking around from behind a corner of the cave. Orion looked directly at it, and two big, blue eyes looked right back at him. Orion blinked. "Mew?"

"Orion!" Mew exclaimed, her voice elevated to an excited squeak. "Aha, I found you! Why have you guys all been hiding constantly for the past few days? Is there some big hide-and-go-seek match that I was rudely uninformed of?"

"What? Oh no," said Orion quickly, "I've . . . Um . . . Well, I just wanted a little time to myself, is all. Just a little peace and quiet. You know, to take in the beauty of Mount Queyna."

Mew smiled at Orion, but something subtle in her expression suggested that she knew Orion wasn't being completely truthful. She said nothing, choosing instead to float towards him, tumbling and somersaulting through the air as she always did.

Orion watched her as she moved, mildly amused by her antics. "Do you ever sit still?"

"Oh, sometimes," she giggled, flipping upside down directly in front of Orion's face. "Rumour has it that sometimes I sit still long enough to go to sleep!"

Orion shook his head, a grin tugging at the corner of his lips. "So you said that you haven't seen Nova or Mewtwo?" he inquired. "What have they been up to?"

"Oh, sulking, no doubt," Mew sighed. "Mewtwo's really started a catchy fad. I haven't really caught more than a glimpse of them in days."

"Neither have I . . . I thought they would have been together," said Orion. He then looked at Mew, his brow knitted in thought. "Why would they be sulking?"

Mew did another flip. "They got into a fight a few days ago. The first thing they did as soon as they got here." Mew rolled her eyes. "That's Mewtwo for you."

"Well, no offence meant to Nova, but she isn't exactly the most docile person, either."

Mew smiled. "Yes, I think I kind of got that feeling from her. After being around Mewtwo for so long, well, I can kind of pick out confrontational people. They give off a certain aura, I think."

Orion chuckled. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Working in Team Rocket teaches you the same sort of thing." Orion froze for a moment as a pained sort of expression crossed his face. It hurt him just to speak of Team Rocket. His facade only cracked for a moment, however. In an instant, he was smiling again.

Mew looked at him, not entirely convinced that everything was 'okay'. "Are you sure you're fine, Orion? You can tell me if something's wrong, if you'd like. I'm a pretty decent listener."

"What?" said Orion, feigning surprise. "I– I'm fine. Honestly. But thank you anyway, for asking. It was sweet of you."

Mew flashed a smile at him, a sweet, demure smile that had a very comforting effect on Orion. "Well, it was very nice chatting with you," she giggled. "But I think I'll be going now– I'm hungry, and I just noticed a berry patch in one of the caves this morning that I'd like to go investigate."

Mew flipped around and began to leave, zig-zagging erratically as she went. Just as she began to turn the corner from where she had come, Orion called out to her.

"Mew!"

The legendary pokémon looked behind her and cocked her head. "Mm?"

"Er, could I come with you?" Orion asked. "I'm kind of hungry, too, and there's no sense sitting all by myself on a stormy day like this."

"Sure, why not?" Mew shrugged. "The more the merrier!"

Orion smiled, and quickly got up to follow Mew. _I might as well go along with her, _he thought. Though Orion found Mew to be a bit strange, he also found her to be quite a friendly little creature. How awful could it be to stop brooding for awhile and spend some time in her company?

"Get a move on, Orion!" Mew teased. "Those berries aren't going to eat themselves!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Orion answered, jogging up to her. He gave her a faint smile.

Maybe adjusting to life on Mount Queyna wouldn't be so difficult after all.

* * *

The storm on Mount Queyna continued to rage on. It seemed to be becoming progressively worse; the rainfall was gushing down in relentless torrents as if a dam had burst somewhere in the stratosphere and was hell-bent on thoroughly saturating the earth. The wind came in violent gusts, causing everything that was caught in the gale to shake and shudder helplessly.

The weather couldn't have suited Mewtwo's current mood more perfectly. At the moment, he seemed to be going out of his way to maintain a solid facade of grimness. For the past several days, he had indulged himself in a fit of sulking and seclusion, and today was no different. Indeed, he was up to his old habits again.

He was alone in his personal chambers and intended it to remain that way. He had blocked off the entrance to the cave with a large boulder to make his self-induced isolation clear, and god help anyone who was foolish enough to teleport their way in.

He stood alone at one of the window-slits in the wall. Sourly, he gazed out and looked upon his territory and at the storm that ravaged it. His narrowed eyes flashed momentarily, reflecting a fork of lighting that cracked across the sky and illuminated everything with the briefest flicker possible. The thunder that ensued was not rumble or a low roar, but an ear-splitting crack that seemed to tear through the very fabric of the air.

"Damn this storm," he hissed underneath his breath. "It looks as if it could takes days to subside. This place isn't always the paradise I like to think it is."

Mewtwo turned away from the window with a shudder. With the arrival of the storm, the temperature inside his caves had dropped considerably. Though he usually preferred coolness, the negative change in temperature didn't please him at all. _My soul feels cold enough as it is, _he thought bitterly. _I don't need the rest of me to feel the same thing . . . _A low growl of disgust left Mewtwo's throat.

He began to walk away from the window, not wanting to think of the storm taking place outside anymore. He decided to check his surveillance screen and see if it was still working despite the unpleasant weather conditions. With nothing but a mere thought, the screen flickered on and confirmed his more pessimistic predictions. The images relayed from his surveillance cameras stationed around the mountain showed little more than static, or at best, indistinct pictures of different areas on the mountain that were blurred beyond recognition. The rain was having more of an effect than Mewtwo had expected.

_Well, what a useful security system I have set up_, he thought sarcastically. _A good storm comes along, and suddenly it's completely useless. Fabulous. Someone could be trying to attack the mountain this very moment, and I wouldn't have a clue . . . But that's just paranoid thinking, _he thought quickly. _Who in their right mind would be come here for_ any_ reason? Well . . . There's Team Rocket, I suppose. I imagine they won't be happy with two Mewtwos gone. But I doubt it._

A scowl clouded Mewtwo's face. That thought brought him back to the very thing which had probably been responsible for sparking him into such a foul mood: Nova.

Mewtwo hadn't seen Nova since the moment she had stormed out of his chamber after their foolish squabble. Just thinking about it brought a senseless fury upon him. He wasn't even sure _why _he was still angry at Nova; the argument was now just a vague blur in his mind. All that mattered now was that _she _hadn't made any effort to apologize, and that _she _had been just as much at fault as he was– if not more. Why hadn't _she _made any effort to patch things up? Why was _she _choosing to ignore him completely?

_Well, there _is _the fact that you've completely sealed off your cave and refuse to let anyone enter for any reason, _suggested the more rational side of his mind. Mewtwo, however, was quick to push the thought aside. Nova was the one at fault here, and that was final.

Another bolt of lightning flashed in the sky, illuminating the room momentarily. The thunder came immediately after– the storm did not seem to be moving much. Mewtwo heaved a sigh of weariness before his expression suddenly changed and a frown appeared on his face. A cold, uncomfortable feeling had settled deep into chest so gradually that he hadn't even realized that it was there. It was strangely familiar; Mewtwo was positive he had felt it before. Frowning, Mewtwo realized what it was. Loneliness.

He couldn't believe he had actually needed to pause to remember what it was, as it was probably one the feelings he was the most familiar with. It was unmistakable, really. Nothing compared to the numbness it brought on, the sickening feeling it evoked that felt as if someone was raking across the inside of his chest with a chunk of ice. Mewtwo felt his very soul go weak at the thought of it, and, with a shuddering breath, he had to force himself to sit down.

The last time he had felt this was . . . It had been even before he _knew _that there were Mewtwos other than himself. It seemed like eons ago . . . Eons ago that he had walked the thin line between desperate loneliness and insanity . . . He shuddered thinking about it. That couldn't possibly happen to him again. It couldn't.

_Perhaps I should go and just . . . talk with someone else? _He thought. _But who? Certainly not Mew; she'd only mock me for being so grim and reclusive. Orion? I hardly know him . . . Nova? I can't possibly go and apologize to her! No! I won't sacrifice my dignity just to be in the company of another!_

But then another thought occurred to him. _Who said I had to apologize to her? I could just go and talk with her . . . Just pretend that our little argument never happened. Surely she would have enough maturity to just leave it behind her for awhile? But perhaps it's too late . . . Perhaps I've alienated her for good._

Mewtwo sat where he was, allowing his thoughts to wage war against one another within his mind. His deep-rooted pessimism seemed to be winning the battle, but one, single, optimistic thought managed to make itself heard amidst the disorder: _What is there to lose?_

Mewtwo, of course, couldn't come up with an adequate answer to the query. _Oh, very well then! _He thought resignedly. _I'll go have a talk with her. But if she refuses to talk to me, that's _her _fault and _her _problem. And I am _not _apologizing. Certainly not._

Mewtwo stood up. That was it then. He would leave his chamber for the first time in days and go find Nova. Brushing aside his stubbornness and his reluctance, he began to step toward the exit.

* * *

Nova hadn't been aware that there were hot springs on Mount Queyna, so it came as quite a pleasant surprise to her when she had found them by accident. And as angry as she was about the current storm assaulting the mountain, it was because of this storm that she had such an interesting discovery.

Like the others, the storm had left her stuck inside and desperate to find something to relieve her boredom, so she had decided to wander the caves in search of anything of interest. Her aimless search had led her to a very peculiar cave that was littered with small pools and trickling waterfalls, from which billowed nebulous clouds of steam. The water vapour filled the entire cavern, rendering the air warm and humid, like some natural sauna. The heat was wonderfully pleasant.

Nova was currently bathing in the biggest pool she could find. She lay reclined against a ledge of rock, the steaming water coming up to her chest. Not only was the water soothing and warm, it also happened to have the rejuvenating properties that all of the water on Mount Queyna did, and this was evident by the blissful smile on Nova's lips. A sigh gently slipped from her mouth, and her eyes closed, making her seem as if she had reached some heavenly state of consciousness.

Nova had always liked hot water– nothing matched the way it soothed, the way it comforted, the way it felt on her skin. It was no surprise that, to her, the most difficult thing about moving to Mount Queyna was giving up the human commodity of showers. She could give everything else up rather easily, but the luxury of running, hot water was a little more difficult to let go of. So she felt incredibly blessed for having discovered that there were hot springs tucked away in the belly of the mountain.

Grinning rather mindlessly, Nova leaned back further, allowing the water to rise slowly up her skin. She took in a deep breath. The air was hot and heavy, almost to the point of being suffocating, but she found herself enjoying it immensely. This was better than any bath or shower she had ever had back in the human world. This was heaven. It was enough to make her forget all of the problems that kept troubling her– leaving Team Rocket, adjusting to a new home, the fight with Mewtwo. . .Well, almost.

To Nova's great frustration, Mewtwo was something that kept resurfacing in her mind no matter how hard she tried to focus on something else. She'd try to push any thoughts of him away, but they'd stubbornly pop back up again, like a buoy being tossed about in the ocean. No matter how many forceful waves crashed into it, it would rise up again and again to float in plain sight on the surface.

It was the fight that was bothering Nova the most. She couldn't believe that she and Mewtwo had been at each other's throats so quickly. And it had been her _first _day on Mount Queyna, no less. And to think they had actually been so close that day . . . They had kissed, even . . . And yet they had still found themselves fighting with each other. Nova couldn't help but come to the conclusion that there was no chance of the two of them pursuing a relationship together. If they were fighting after one day, what sort of state would they be in after, say, a year?

But had there ever been a chance for something to develop between them? Nova barely knew Mewtwo, really. There was nothing to explain the immediate attraction they had felt towards each other. Was it anything more than meaningless infatuation?

_I'm putting way too much thought into this, _Nova thought with a groan. _And you know what? It was one foolish little fight. That's all. Maybe if we stopped acting like children and just _talked_ to each other about it, we could sort it out. If only Mewtwo would stop sulking and come out of his stupid cave. _He's _the one acting childish here._

Satisfied with her reasoning, Nova leaned back and took a deep breath of the hot, humid air. She would just relax, for now. There was really no point in going to find Mewtwo– she knew he was purposely isolating himself at the moment, anyway, having sealed off the entrance to his personal chambers.Let him sulk, was Nova's conclusion._ He _could come to _her. _Besides, Nova didn't want to have to tarnish her pride by crawling back to him and apologizing for their argument.

_What do I have to apologize for, anyway?_ Nova thought as her face creased with a frown.. _I didn't even do anything– he was the one who completely lost it and threw a hissy fit._

Nova crossed her arms. Of course Mewtwo was to blame for all this. There was no chance that she was at fault here in any way. Of course not. Easily convinced, Nova put her thoughts elsewhere, and succumbed to the powerful lull of the hot springs' water.

_Yes, let Mewtwo come to _me, she thought as she leaned further backward and sunk deeper into the hot water.

* * *

Mewtwo moved briskly through the tunnels and caves deep within the belly of Mount Queyna. He had been searching for Nova for half an hour now, but had found no sign of the female Mewtwo anywhere. In fact, he hadn't seen Orion or Mew, either. It was as if everyone had decided to go into hiding with the arrival of the storm.

He trudged along nonetheless, moving at a steady pace as the drum of thunder rolled loudly in the distance. The storm was still raging as strongly as it had been all day, but Mewtwo felt somewhat glad at that fact. He knew for certain that because the weather was still less than pleasant, Nova would most likely be somewhere inside and sheltered, which meant Mewtwo had fewer places to search through.

_But now I've searched through almost every cave and tunnel in this damn mountain! _Mewtwo flared impatiently. _Where is she hiding?_

The fact that is was suddenly becoming hotter only added fuel to Mewtwo's frustration. He hated heat– _hated _it– especially while trying to concentrate. He heaved an exasperated sigh and was ready to just give up when he suddenly froze. Something struck him. _Why, _exactly, was it so warm all of a sudden?

Mewtwo's eyes wandered about the cave. He soon realized that there were wisps of steam floating in the air, crawling mostly along the ceiling and walls. Realization soon dawned on him. It was the hot springs. He had forgotten that Mount Queyna even had hot springs, but the sudden appearance of steam and the spike in temperature in the middle of the mountain could only be attributed to the hot water from the springs.

Mewtwo crept forward, wondering whether or not Nova was in the hot springs. Perhaps she had chosen to bathe there? Mewtwo himself didn't like bathing in the hot springs all that much. He preferred the much cooler water at the surface of the mountain. But maybe Nova felt differently. Either way, he had nothing to lose, so he decided to enter the hot springs and see if Nova was there.

Pushing past the steam that seemed to choke every inch of space around him, Mewtwo neared the entrance into the healing springs' cave. He peeked his head around the corner, assuming that a quick glance would suffice. His eyes darted back and forth, searching for any sign of Nova.

Through the clouds of steam wafting past him, Mewtwo immediately caught sight of Nova, who was lounging in a pool no more than five metres away from him. She was in a reclined position with half of her body submerged beneath the steaming hot water. It was easy to tell that she was in total comfort; her lips formed a contented smile and her eyes were closed as if she were in a blissful sleep. But then her eyes opened and she stretched, proving that she was indeed conscious.

Mewtwo retreated slightly so that he was out of Nova's line of vision. He watched her from where he was, standing rigidly. He didn't know why, but suddenly he was frozen. Motion completely eluded him. He could do nothing but just _stare_ at Nova as if everything else in the universe had ceased to exist and his very survival suddenly depended on keeping his gaze on her. Mewtwo had no idea why he had suddenly fallen under such a bizarre spell, but no amount of will-power he possessed was enough to tear his eyes away.

There was something hypnotic about Nova, something in her movements, in her eyes, her body . . . Something Mewtwo had never seen before. He had always considered her a very pretty creature, but for some reason her beauty seemed to have multiplied by ten-fold in the last few seconds. Or perhaps this entrancing beauty had always been there, but Mewtwo was only taking the time to notice it now. There was something about the glorious sheen in her silver eyes . . . the way her slender limbs seemed to move almost fluidly . . . the way little rivulets of water trickled down her smooth skin, curving to the shape of her hips and rounded chest . . .

Mewtwo swallowed, but it was a tight feeling, as his mouth and throat had gone completely dry. He had no idea what was happening to him. A feeling unlike any thing he could describe was suddenly writhing in his stomach. It was if a warm fire had started there, and the flames flicked at his insides with a curious burning sensation. Then without warning, the feeling swelled like a supernova and it filled his entire chestwith a strange throbbing. His heartbeat quickened until it achedand a few thin trickles of sweat broke out on his skin. He had no idea what was going on. This emotion– this feeling– it was completely new and alien to him. He couldn't think of anything that could explain his sudden breathlessness, and the burning warmth in his chest.

And it wasn't only his body that seemed to be exhibiting such strange symptoms; like a disease, this curious affliction had spread to his mind. His thoughts were in a disorderly mess, and he could focus on nothing except Nova. Nothing. His mind felt as if it was spinning, but all the while, his eyes remained locked on Nova, nothing else but Nova . . .

What was this? This feeling? _What was it? _Mewtwo struggled for an answer. Love? Infatuation? No, it felt far too physical for that. There was an ungodly desire attached to it that was clouding Mewtwo's reasoning faster than the steam from the hot springs was clouding the cave. Mewtwo had the sudden urge to go to Nova, to lay his hands upon the goddess-like beauty before him, to feel her flesh, her smooth, wet skin–

_Good god, _Mewtwo thought, eyes wide. He realized suddenly what was happening, and didn't like it at all. There was a word for the bizarre condition that had taken hold over him. It was nothing other than lust.

_I . . . I . . . can't believe this, _Mewtwo thought. _Could I really be so primitive? Lust! _Unable to do anything, he continued to stare at Nova. She continued to bathe herself contentedly in the hot spring, completely oblivious to her distressed onlooker. Mewtwo just watched in silence, fascinated and enticed by everything about her. _How does she have this effect on me? The things that crossing my mind right now ! . . . I– I feel no more civilized than an animal! . . ._

Mewtwo finally managed to suppress the fire boiling within him long enough to wrench his gaze away from the female Mewtwo. He had to leave. He couldn't possibly face her now, not in this state. He was far too embarrassed just thinking about her.What if she realized that he had been watching her this whole time? Just imagining her reaction was mortifying.

_I have to get out of here . . . _he thought desperately. He would go back to his cave and back to his isolation, safe from such . . . distractions. He could talk to her later, when he didn't feel so magnetically attracted to her. He wondered vaguely why this had never happened to him before.

But before he could contemplate an answer, he vanished in the bright flash of a Teleport to retreat to the safety of his cave.

* * *

Night had long ago fallen over Viridian City. The sun had set several hours ago, and the stars had long ago come out to shine, not that many were visible through the glare of city lights. Only the brightest remained seen, along with the dulled glow of the moon.

The Team Rocket Headquarters had not been spared from the night's dark grip. The general work day was over, and things were winding down. People were going home, or busy returning from their last missions and errands of the day. And Chaos was among one of these people.

She walked alone down one of dimly lit hallways of the HQ, heading in the direction of Giovanni's office. Or her office, rather. Sometimes she still had to remind herself that it was _her_ space now.

She moved quickly, eager to reach her office. She had just returned from a mission in Pallet Town, which had gone very successfully, as all her missions did. With a few other Rockets, she had broken into the research facility of . . . what was his name again. Chaos had to pause for a moment. Professor Oak? Yes, That was it. A rather well-known pokémon researcher, apparently. Chaos failed to see why; he didn't seem so competent. It had been disappointingly easy to break into his lab and steal all of the rare pokémon contained there, along with some very rare and expensive research equipment. But then again, there was no way the old man could have ever prepared himself against a break-in by a Mewtwo. Chaos smirked at the thought. It was a lost cause, really.

But as easy as it had been, Chaos felt herself entitled to a well-earned rest. She had been working very hard all day, which was obvious, considering her position. There was no doubt she had settled into the role of Team Rocket Boss rather well in the past few weeks. She had managed to assert a decent grip over the organization, and things were finally running smoothly again. Missions were being carried out, profit was rolling in, and the executives seemed appeasedfor the time being.And as if by some miracle, news of the Rocket that Chaos had murdered managed to stay under wraps.Times were good in Team Rocket, and Chaos couldn't help but be pleased with herself.

The Mewtwo reached the doors to her office and quickly opened one. She stepped in without hesitation, not bothering to flip on the lights. She was much like Giovanni, preferring to keep her office dark. In fact, the office's light-switch had probably gathered an impressive layer of dust from lack of use over the years. But in Chaos's opinion, a gloomy atmosphere was always better than a cheery, over-lit one. The only light she needed was the light that came in through the windows, or a desk lamp, at most. She was a pokémon with feline traits anyway and could see quite well in the dark.

Chaos shut the door behind her quietly. She immediately felt something soft and furry rubbing against her legs, and she heard a distinct purr. Looking down, she realized it was Giovanni's Persian, who had decided to press itself against her legs in an affectionate and cat-like manner. Smiling slightly, Chaos bent down and scratched the pokémon behind its ears. Though it had sulked for weeks over the loss of its master, Persian had begun to warm up to Chaos lately and even accept her as its new owner. Chaos didn't mind. It was really all she had left of Giovanni.

Giving the Persian one last pat on the head, Chaos brushed by it and went to her desk. She settled comfortably into her chair and leaned back, looking out at the skyline of Viridian City as she did. She noticed that here, in the city, the stars were almost invisible, but in the clear air in Pallet Town the sky had been spattered with thousands of stars, as if someone had waved a giant paint-brush and had flung little drops of silver paint all over the heavens. But those were the petty sacrifices of urban life.

Chaos turned way, quickly growing disinterested with star-gazing. She leaned further back in her seat and sighed almost contentedly. It was amazing how well-rested she felt lately, at least compared to how she had felt when she had first appointed herself as the leader of Team Rocket. Of course, she still spent most evenings working late and had much less sleep than any of her subordinates, but it was still a vast improvement from how she had started out. And on top of that, she was drinking less. She still had quite the fondness for it of course, but, again, it was an improvement.

_Speaking of which, I sure could go for a glass of wine right now, _she thought._ I think I earned it, after all. I stole a _lot _of pokémon tonight that I might have not gotten my hands on if I hadn't done this mission._ _And it's amazing that despite having to run this whole organization, I can still find time to participate in the missions myself. Yes, I deserve a nice little reward._

Chaos smiled, obviously satisfied with herself. She reached downwards to pull open a large drawer from which she pulled out a bottle of wine and a glass to match. She set the glass down on the desk before pouring herself a generous share of wine. She gingerly sipped at it, leaning back as she did.

_A little depressing, though, isn't it?_ Chaos couldn't help but think. _Sitting all alone here at night with nothing to keep me company but a drink and a Persian . . . _Her eyes flicked downwards at the feline pokémon who had curled itself around her feet several minutes ago. _Just weeks ago I would have been spending my nights with Giovanni . . . And before him, Orion . . . And before him . . . oh . . . too many men to remember. _

Chaos felt herself freeze, and her eyebrows wrinkled in thought. Had it really been that long since she had any contact with men? She hadn't so much as flirted in _weeks_, which was shockingly uncharacteristic of her. It was . . . worrisome, almost. Before, she never would have imagined going so long without seducing someone.

"I really am too busy for my own good," she whispered to no one but herself. Persian, who was still dozing at her feet, lifted an indifferent eyelid at her voice. "That long without . . . without _anything_?" she continued to herself, her eyes wide in bafflement. She shook her head, drinking some of her wine. "Can't be. Definitely not."

Chaos was quick to blame her lack of amorous activity on her new job, and the heavy workload associated with it. She didn't have the time for such things anymore . . . right? She was far too stressed about more important matters to even give it more than a few seconds of thought.

But she was neglecting something else that was most certainly stopping her from pursuing any further relationships. Though she refused to even consider it, her lingering attachment to Giovanni was probably a key factor in her current behaviour. If asked, Chaos would instantly deny that she had developed any such emotional attachment to her previous Boss, but this really wasn't the case. She couldn't fully brush away the memories of him that lurked in the depths of her mind. When she least suspected it, they would often surface from the shadows in which they were hiding to come haunt her, remind her that Giovanni was gone and how much it hurt.

Giovanni was like that. He wasn't a person who was forgotten easily. There was something about him that left an everlasting effect on other people, and even Chaos was no exception to this. The effect was all too familiar to Chaos. It was, in fact, the effect she herself had on people.

_Did I really fall that hard for him? _Chaos found herself thinking. _It was only supposed to be a fling . . . Why did we bond so well? _

She finished off her wine and set the glass down on her desk. Her eyes closed in thought as her hands involuntarily clenched the arm-rests of her chair. She was sickened. Giovanni was dead, so why couldn't she just get over it? She had never felt so weak in her life . . . It just wasn't like her to find herself so attached to people and actually miss them . . . It was pathetic, at best . . .

Her eyes flew open, and she made a sound that was somewhere between a growl and a hiss. Her disgust with herself quickly escalated into something else. Anger. Not towards her self, but towards someone else entirely:

_Nova_.

Chaos felt herself silently mouth the name, as if actually saying it would be like uttering some irreversible curse. She thought of the name, over and over, and as she did, a hideous hatred swelled within her like a rising tide. She felt it creep across her like a fiery numbness, blinding her to her surroundings. It became a struggle for her to maintain a sense of calm, and it took all of her willpower to repress the desire to scream out or destroy something. Persian, having sensed the building tension, crept away from Chaos and sought refuge under the desk. He quickly resumed napping, however, obviously desensitized to such foul fluctuations in mood– his previous master had been Giovanni, after all.

Chaos took no notice to the pokémon below her. Instead, she turned away, thinking silently to herself. She felt her sudden flare in anger subside, if only slightly. Her mind cleared. She realized that there was no use indulging in such blind and senseless anger. There had to be a way to channel her anger into something more productive. She needed to focus her hatred . . . do something about it. . .

She drummed her fingers along the wooden surface of her desk, and suddenly, her lips curled. Something unpleasant had no doubt crept into her mind.

_What if I killed Nova? _Chaos mused. _Yes . . . Kill her . . . Bring her here and _kill _her. That's what was _supposed_ to happen originally. How sweet it would be to make her die . . .Make her bleed and beg for mercy . . . Make her pay for what she did to Giovanni . . ._

Chaos chuckled darkly to herself just at the thought of it. It wouldn't be so difficult, would it? She would just have to find where Nova was, exactly, and it would all be downhill from there. Chaos could then have Nova kidnapped, brought to Viridian City, and there she would meet her end. A bloody and painful end, if Chaos had her way. It wouldn't be so difficult. Surely Domino would be up to such a mission.

But Chaos could already hear Domino's protests. _"You can't do that!"_ Chaos could envision the Rocket saying. _"The executives will throw a fit if they find out you're using Team Rocket money and resources to fund some personal vengeance mission!"_

Chaos thought about that for a moment. No, the executives wouldn't like that at all, would they? But Chaos could find a way around that. She just wouldn't use money from Team Rocket; she'd use her _own_. As boss, she was rightfully entitled to her own salary– a hefty one, at that– with which to do _whatever _she pleased. As a pokémon, Chaos hardly spent any of her money at all, save for buying essential items, like food. She had always failed to understand the obsession humans had for buying as many material objects that they could get their greedy little hands on. And the richer, she found, the worse. Chaos vaguely remembered Giovanni and how he certainly hadn't been above indulging himself in luxurious things.

But Chaos wasn't like that. She had a _lot_ of money to spare, not to mention Giovanni had left a fortune behind when he died. Money wasn't an issue. Chaos could financially cover a mission to reclaim Nova without any difficulty.

But who would Chaos send to capture Nova for her? Who would she use to find where Nova was in the first place? Domino was always an option. Chaos, herself, would be even better. And some other Rockets could tag along if needed. It wasn't wise to underestimate a Mewtwo, after all.

Chaos leaned back in her seat, unable to resist a smile. She would kill Nova then. There was no stopping her now; a desperate thirst for revenge had already gripped her, and nothing was going to shake it off. She wouldn't rest until she beheld Nova's dead corpse at her feet, void of life, dripping in blood, with glazed eyes. Chaos savoured the thought for several moments, relishing the grisly image of Nova lying dead on the floor, preferably torn to shreds.

Finally, Chaos sat up straight. She reached purposefully across her desk and picked up her phone. Telepathically, she dialled a number and waited for the person on the receiving end to pick up.

" . . . Hello? Domino? Yeah, it's me, Chaos, and . . .Yes, yes, I apologize for calling so late. Listen, could you come up to my office for a little bit?" Chaos's lips curled into a smirk. "I have a very important mission I'd like to discuss with you . . ."

* * *

End of Chapter XIII

Oi... That was... no good. Ah well. I tried. Reviews will still be muchly appreciated. All comments welcome. Blunt, honest criticism preferred. :)


	14. Surrender

IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTES: The following chapter includes references to the whole "Birth of Mewtwo" story. Yeah, as in the whole Ai (or AiTwo, AmberTwo, whatever) thing. A lot of Mewtwo fans will know exactly what I'm talking about, so this chapter won't be much of a problem, but if you _don't_ have any clue as to what I'm talking about . . . Well . . . Uh . . . Maybe a Google search would enlighten you? Otherwise you're going to be completely lost. Actually, the details of the whole story seem a bit fuzzy even to me, so if the facts seem changed a bit . . . well, this _is _fanfiction.

And yes, I have updating issues. Very bad updating issues. Throw things at me. Really, it might motivate me to write faster. I really apologize for the wait, but I don't want to waste any more of your time, so let's be on with it.

**Last Chapter: **Orion sulked a bit by himself about Chaos, but Mew managed to cheer him a bit. Meanwhile, Mewtwo was also having a bit of a sulking fit, having shut himself up in his personal chambers for several days and refusing to see anyone. He dwelled on the argument he and Nova shared, but he refused to go and apologize to her or even talk to her. Eventually, however, his loneliness got the best of him and he decided to go at least speak to her. Nova, meanwhile, was also brooding about the subject. Mewtwo then found her in the hot springs, was stricken by her attractiveness, panicked, and ran off before she even noticed that he was there. And finally, in Viridian City, the chronic sulking continued with Chaos, who missed her dear little Gio and started stirring up a plan for vengeance against Nova. Quite lengthy for a chapter in which almost noting happened.

* * *

Shadows Like You 

Chapter XIV _Surrender_

By: Cosmic Mewtwo

* * *

Night had fallen upon Mount Queyna, and with its arrival had come an end to the storm that had ravaged the area all day. It was late in the evening that the storm had finally decided to disperse– and rather suddenly, at that. The thunder and lightning didn't even have a chance to fade gently into the distance; instead, the noise and light that had sparked so violently within the clouds fizzled out rather abruptly. The torrential rains barely had time to ease themselves into a drizzle before vanishing altogether, and the clouds– which had covered the sky in a black shroud all day– dissipated into nothing. All that was left was a slight wind that pushed through the heavy night air, stirring up the remaining wisps of clouds scattered throughout the sky. 

From within his cavern, Mewtwo watched the unfolding of the night's calm weather. He stood beside one of the large window slits in the cave's stone wall, his figure eerily illuminated by the narrow strip of light that leaked through. He was motionless where he was, statuesque. Only his eyes moved. His gaze seemed to be tracing a path across the heavens, but that wasn't what he was seeing. His mind was somewhere else entirely.

_. . .Nova._

The word echoed in his mind like a sigh, and he found himself mouthing it to himself. He closed his eyes in thought as a powerful feeling swelled within him. It was a longing. A longing to be with _her._

Mewtwo couldn't deny that he was really starting to miss her now. It was true that he had seen her earlier that very day, bathing in the hot springs– but he hadn't gotten the chance to speak to her. He had wanted to, but it had been impossible. Her beauty had overwhelmed him, completely incapacitated him to the point where he couldn't bring himself to even think clearly. He had never before felt so drawn to anything, and it was embarrassing. He had seen no other option than to flee to the security of his cave to gather his composure and set his mind in order.

Mewtwo turned away from the window and stared into the deep shadows of his chamber. He quickly distanced himself from the window, moving to a spot where he was just beyond the moonlight's reach. There, sufficiently hidden in the shadows, he sat down, his back leaning against the wall.

_Perhaps I should go speak to her . . . _he thought and with a heavy sigh, he let his eyes fall shut. _I just miss her so much, even though I really haven't been separated from her for that long . . . Am I . . . Am I in love with her? The idea is just so . . . absurd . . . How could it ever work out between us, really? She seems to be just as stubborn and temperamental as I am, if not more_ _so . . . She's stunningly beautiful and obviously intelligent, but I sense a certain moodiness about her. Not so different than myself, actually . . . Are we really that similar?_

Mewtwo shook his head and let out a very uncharacteristic chuckle, and a smile– a rare and genuine smile– made its way onto his lips. Were he and Nova more alike than he had realized before? He shook his head in bewilderment.

_I . . . I really think I'm in love with her, _he concluded, still grinning. But Mewtwo's brief moment of what seemed to be happiness was quickly swarmed with the usual swarm of cynical thoughts. _It seems awfully foolish, though. I mean . . . do I really even know her that well? How can I be so certain it's 'love'? I've always considered love to be a silly, abstract, human notion more than anything else . . . Just something humans created in a vain attempt to give themselves the illusion that their lives have some sort of meaning . . . Utterly ridiculous, really. I haven't sunk to the pathetic level of some lovesick human, have I?_

Mewtwo frowned. He continued to contemplate the situation. _It just feels so . . . weak. I can't let myself become too attached to her. I still remember all too well what my mere friendship with all of the cloned pokémon caused me– Giovanni used that attachment against me to exploit me . . . I almost died. I don't want to feel attached like that to anyone again . . . To feel that sort of vulnerability . . . _

But there was more to it than that. The incident with the clones hadn't been the only time Mewtwo had been hurt because of something he had cared for. There had been something before that, long before that, that had hurt him even more. It was something that had left a profound scar deep within his psyche, one he hadn't even been aware of until now. There was a vague but unmistakable feeling of loss hanging in the back of his mind, one he had only just noticed. But strangely enough, Mewtwo couldn't even remember an incident that could have caused him such an amount of pain.

He narrowed his eyes in thought, feeling greatly unnerved. It felt as if a part of his memory was missing, as if something very important had been taken away from him and all that was left of it was a vague sense of anguish. He felt utterly puzzled, and the more he tried to remember whatever it was that was arousing this pain, the more it evaded his grasp. It was like trying to grab a handful of smoke– no matter how hard he tried to clutch at the memories hiding in the back of his mind, they would only just float further and further from his reach.

Mewtwo wearily rubbed his eyes with his hands. Sometimes he became so utterly tired of thinking that he began to wonder whether sentient thought was really worth the trouble.

_I need sleep,_ he concluded, his face rested in the palms of his hands. Without giving it another thought, Mewtwo lay down on the stone floor. He lay on his side, with his long, purple tail curled slightly around his reclined figure. He turned and turned again for several moments, trying to make himself as comfortable as possible on the cold, barren floor. Finally, his eyes closed and he ceased to move, having been swept away into what would be a fitful sleep . . .

* * *

Blackness. For the longest period of time, that was all Mewtwo could be sure of. Blackness, everywhere and in all directions, stretching on for what seemed like forever. There was no light to speak of, and even if there were, there would have been nothing for it to illuminate anyway. 

Accompanying the endless void of black was a heavy silence that seemed just as infinite as the darkness. There wasn't so much as a whisper of sound interrupting the cloak of quietness that shrouded the entire area– wherever that happened to be.

Mewtwo's skin felt cold. The air– if it was air– was chilled, but not to the point that it was uncomfortable. But this observation wasn't of any interest to Mewtwo. He was much more interested in the fact that he could sense the coldness at all. For several moments he wasn't entirely sure if he still existed, but the fact that he retained his sense of touch was enough to confirm that he hadn't simply ceased to vanish. This place, wherever it was, had a baffling effect on him. It seemed to be free from the constraints of space and time; a second or a century could have passed, and Mewtwo wouldn't have been able to tell.

_This place is strange . . ._ he found himself thinking. _I haven't felt so lost and detached since . . . since I was back in my growth tank in the lab on New Island._

He felt a shudder pass through him just at the thought. New Island was never a pleasant place to think about. He quickly put his concentration somewhere else.

He lifted a hand. He let it hang in front of him, suspended in the void, and observed it for several moments. His eyes narrowed.

_How is it that I can see my hand, _he thought, baffled, _if there isn't any light?_

He considered his possibilities quickly, not as if there were many rational explanations for what was happening. After a brief moment of thought, he came to what he believed was the most reasonable conclusion. _It's a dream. That's all. This is all a very boring dream._

He sighed impatiently. He tried to step forward, but found he was unable to move. All that his body could manage was an awkward jerk forward that sent him floating, very slowly, through the void.

_Oh, brilliant. I can't even move. How utterly fascinating. Just more proof that sleep is a dreadful waste of time._

Mewtwo let out a growl and crossed his arms. He sulked silently for several moments before something jerked him from his sarcastic train of thought.

It seemed that someone had appeared out of absolutely nowhere and was floating in Mewtwo's direction. Mewtwo was baffled at the sight and had to force himself to take a second glance to make sure that his eyes weren't misleading him. But the image remained. A young, human girl no older than five was gently floating towards him as quietly and softly as a cloud drifting through the sky.

The girl was silent as she approached Mewtwo. A soft smile adorned her face, and her gentle, purple eyes were locked on him. Mewtwo was just as equally transfixed on her. He had seen her before. He was sure of it. There was no other explanation for why just the sight of her brought upon such an immense feeling of familiarity. He was overwhelmed by a sense of déja-vu, but was powerless to do anything but float there and let his mind struggle to sort through scattered thoughts and memories.

_This is all a dream, _he reminded himself. _Just a dream. A shockingly lucid one, but a dream nonetheless._

The girl was little more than an arm's length from Mewtwo now. Her plain, white dress rippled gently around her small frame and her teal hair moved as if there were a gentle breeze, but Mewtwo was reasonably sure that there was no wind to speak of. She was nothing short of ghostly, and Mewtwo was almost unnerved by it.

And then, without warning, she spoke. "Mewtwo."

Mewtwo's eyes opened slightly. She knew his name. _That's not so unusual, _he reasoned. _This is a dream, after all. _"Who are you?" was Mewtwo's blunt reply.

The girl smiled sadly. "You don't remember me, do you, Mewtwo?" The sound of her voice was quiet, soothing . . . Soothing as the waters of Mount Queyna . . .

Mewtwo gave her a sideways glance. "You seem familiar, I'll give you that. Who are you?"

"I'm Ai. Or, AiTwo, I suppose," she giggled. "The scientists did something to you after I died . . . I guess it made you forget. You _were_ really youngAbout my age."

Mewtwo blinked. He silently mouthed the word "AiTwo", and something seemed to click in his mind. Yes, he had known her, he was sure of it . . . But why couldn't he remember anything about her? He could feel the memoriesstruggling to release themselves from the shackles of his subconscious, but still he could remember nothing.

"AiTwo?" he asked weakly. "Who . . . who are you? You _died?"_

"Mm hmm. My father could never make the human clones last for more than a few years," she explained, as if this would make perfect sense to Mewtwo. It didn't.

By this point Mewtwo was becoming frustrated. This girl's strange answers to his questions were telling him very little of what was going on. "I don't understand!" he shouted. "Go away and let me wake up from this ridiculous dream! You're–"

"_Shh," _said AiTwo, lifting a fingertip to her lips. "Calm down. I can show you the easy way, if you'd like. I can make you remember."

Before Mewtwo could protest, Ai layed a hand on his forehead. He flinched, surprised at her sudden touch. He tried to move away, but again found that he couldn't move. "What are you doing?" he demanded.

AiTwo answered only with a faint smile. A cold energy suddenly burst from the girl's fingertips, and Mewtwo felt it creep over his entire forehead and then through his very mind. Images flashed through his mind's eye, thousands of sounds and sights flooded his mind all at once. They were memories. AiTwo was planting memories directly into his brain– or she was awakening memories that had been there all along.

Mewtwo shut his eyes as he struggled to make sense of the things AiTwo was showing him. He saw the lab back at New Island. He saw Doctor Fuji, the scientist who had been leading the whole operation– Ai's father. The original Ai had been killed; AiTwo was a copy that Fuji had created.

Mewtwo saw images of himself with AiTwo. They had both been in their own separate tanks, he remembered, but they had found a way to communicate with each other telepathically . . . Mewtwo was only young then . . . No more than a child . . . There had been other clones, too, other pokémon . . . And AiTwo was his friend. Mewtwo had once possessed an actual friend.

Everything came back to Mewtwo in such a rush that he could actually feel a headache beginning. He remembered everything now, the closeness he had felt to Ai, the things she had to him . . . the way AiTwo had suddenly faded away and had left him all alone in the darkness . . . the way he had wept when she was gone. He remembered everything now. And now that he remembered the trauma, he wasn't so sure if that was a good thing.

His eyes flew open. He found AiTwo staring at him, her childish smile ever-present on her lips, and he could do nothing but stare. Mewtwo couldn't describe the sensation that was stirring within him. It was a feeling of great joy, but it was mixed with an equally great feeling of loss and anger. It was a feeling so powerful that it hurt him; it throbbed so painfully in his chest that he found it difficult to breathe.

"Ai . . ." he finally managed to whisper. "Ai . . ." His throat felt dry and tight, and his eyes burned with what he was shocked to realize were tears. His breath shuddered noticeably. He wanted to do nothing more than to reach out to his lost friend and embrace her, he wanted to weep in sheer relief for seeing her again, and apologize for having ever forgotten her. . .

. . . But he didn't. He remained paralysed where he was and quickly blinked his tears away, trying to hide that any emotion whatsoever had passed through him. Ai merely watched on as he closed his eyes and tried to put his thoughts in order.

"Ai . . ." he said again, opening his eyes. "Why? Why are you here? _Where have you been?_" It was a valid question that Mewtwo wanted answered. Where had she been all this time? If she could contact him, why was she only doing it now? Why had she abandoned him alone for so long? Mewtwo could feel his muscles tensing with anger at the unanswered questions.

"Well, I see you remember me," Ai giggled, and Mewtwo was reminded of Mew. "I've been watching over you, Mewtwo. I've always been with you– you just didn't know it!"

Mewtwo gave her a scoff and a cynical side-glance. "Right, of course. Watching over me. Makes complete sense," he muttered. "So what are you telling me– that you're a ghost, of some sort? Because such things do not exist."

Mewtwo's sarcasm didn't seem to faze Ai at all. She merely smiled at him. "No such things as ghosts, hmm?" She let out a giggle. "You don't know everything, silly. What are ghost pokémon, then? You know, like Ghastly and Haunter?"

"I– I don't know!" Mewtwo snapped. "But you honestly expect me to believe in sprits and such nonsense? You could just be a figment of my imagination, for all I know. A dream!"

"There are things about this world– and other worlds– that you have no understanding of, Mewtwo. You may be one of the most intelligent beings on the planet, but there are things you don't know of."

Mewtwo rolled his eyes. "Yes, well, that's all fair and good, but did you just come here to ramble on about what I don't know, or are you here for a reason?"

Ai smiled sadly. "So impatient and sarcastic! You've changed a lot since when I first met you."

"I was a child then. Of course I've changed. But you haven't answered my question: why are you here?"

"It's about Nova," Ai replied.

Mewtwo frowned. He really didn't want to talk about that right now. "What about her?"

"Well, you seem to be having a lot of trouble with her," Ai explained. "And I thought it was about time that I came and helped you before you say or do something about it that you will really regret for the rest of your life! Like try to ignore her and shut her out forever until she finally gives up on you and moves on. She has feelings for you, you know!"

"I don't want to talk about it!" Mewtwo shouted, trying not to listen.

"But you love her!"

"I do not!" Mewtwo retorted, but the blush spreading on his cheeks suggested otherwise.

Ai shook her head. "You do, Mewtwo. I know you do," she said in matter-of-fact tone. "But you've been avoiding it. You've been hiding from it. You try to cover it up all the time, pretending that she means nothing to you, that everything means nothing to you."

"So you're here to lecture me, is that it?" Mewtwo snapped, genuinely angry with Ai now. "Mew lectures me quite enough, thank you. You're not needed."

Ai touched Mewtwo's shoulder with her small, delicate hand. She tried to look Mewtwo in the eye, but he looked away, refusing to listen to her. "Poor Mewtwo," she whispered. "You don't have to be so bitter all the time, you know."

"I'll behave as I see fit."

Then, for the first time since she had appeared, Ai frowned. It wasn't so much an angry frown, but rather one of disappointment. All the same, her sweet smile had vanished, and Mewtwo couldn't help but feel responsible for it.

"Mewtwo, have you ever stopped to think that maybe how you're acting is selfish?" Ai suggested, her eyes filled with an unmistakable sadness. "If you want to shut yourself away from everyone and ignore them, I guess that's your choice– but don't you think this might be hurting Nova?"

"Nova is just as temperamental as I am!" Mewtwo shot back. "She's just as much at fault here as I am!"

Ai nodded. "I suppose you're right. You're both at fault. _Both of you. _But that's not the point! You can still fix things. You can apologize to her for arguing with her and admit to how you feel about her."

Mewtwo looked at Ai as if she had said something dreadfully rude and insulting. "Absolutely not!"

Ai touched Mewtwo's shoulder again. "You're worried. You're worried that loving her will make you vulnerable, aren't you? You don't want to be exposed to someone like that, do you?"

Mewtwo mouthed wordlessly. She was just like Mew– she somehow figured out exactly what was going on in his head without even the slightest effort. He hated when Mew did it, and he didn't like it now that Ai was doing it, either.

Ai continued before Mewtwo could bring himself to speak. "Don't be afraid, Mewtwo. Being in love with Nova won't make you weak, and it won't make you vulnerable. It will only make you stronger. So just go and tell her how you feel, no matter how embarrassing you think it is. And say sorry to her for arguing with her, even if you think you're right, because sometimes we have to make these kind of sacrifices for the ones we care about."

Mewtwo looked away from Ai. He knew what she was saying had merit, but he was not about to admit it. Me merely scowled at her like a stubborn teenager.

"Mewtwo, I have to leave now. You're going to wake up soon. I hope you've listened to what I said." The girl smiled hopefully at Mewtwo. Mewtwo, on the other hand, didn't seem pleased.

"You're leaving?" he exclaimed. "But . . . I only got to speak with you for a few minutes! I don't want you to leave me again, Ai!"

"Oh, hush!" said Ai as she teasingly tapped Mewtwo on the arm. "You'll see me again some day. I'll be with you until then."

"But– but– where are you going?" Mewtwo demanded. "When will I see you again?"

It was at this point that Mewtwo began to notice that Ai was floating away from him, floating into the abysmal darkness. And at the same time, she seemed to be fading. A sad smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "Bye, Mewtwo. Don't forget what I told you."

"But– Ai! Wait!" Mewtwo shouted. Ai continued to vanish before Mewtwo's eyes. "_Ai!_"

Mewtwo received no answer from Ai, save for a sad wave of her hand a bright smile. And then she dissolved into the blackness, vanishing completely. Mewtwo felt his breath catch in his throat. She was gone. Again.

Mewtwo tried to move, he tried to thrash free of whatever force was keeping him completely immobile, but to no avail. He was just about to cry out in frustration and curse the hopelessness of the situation, but a curious drowsiness had suddenly clouded his senses. He felt even more powerless than before as his muscles seemed to lose all their strength, and his eyelids drooped heavily over his eyes. He moved and shifted his body in a half-hearted attempt to fight off the impending exhaustion, but his struggling only made him feel weaker. His eyelids stubbornly stayed closed, and Mewtwo found himself succumbing to what he thought was unconsciousness.

Almost instantly, his eyes blearily fluttered open again, and he found that he was no longer in the shadowy nothingness he had been in only moments before. He was lying on the floor of his cave in a puddle of moonlight that was pouring in the nearest window-slit in the wall. It was still night-time, so Mewtwo reasoned he couldn't have been sleeping for very long, which was strange because he felt completely refreshed. Slowly, het sat up, shaking off the last dregs of his dream that lingered in his mind.

_Ai . . . _he thought. _Couldn't you have stayed just a bit longer? Would that have been just too much to ask for? You didn't have to waste time giving me such useless advice!_

_It wasn't useless, actually, _countered another thought. _In fact, Ai had quite a good point. If only you weren't too stubborn to listen to it._ _Why must you behave so foolishly when it comes to Nova? You were engineered to be one of the most intelligent pokémon in the world, for heaven's sake!_

Mewtwo's eyes narrowed into a scowl as he mulled over the situation.Ai had visited him for good reason, and he knew very well that it would be foolish to ignore what she had said. She was right about everything, or at least Mewtwo was reasonably sure she was right. Was he really in love with Nova? Would apologizing and putting their foolish feuding aside set things straight? And if it did, would it last? And so what if it did? What was so important about having an intimate relationship with her? Why was this such a critical thing to worry about?

And so the battle raged on in Mewtwo's mind to the point where he wished his brain would shut up for once, and cease reviewing and scrutinizing every detail of the problem at hand. But could he help it that it was in his nature to contemplate everything incessantly?

_All right, that's it, _he decided. _I am tired of dwelling on this. I'm going to go see Nova. I'm going to set things straight and apologize to her . . . and . . . and admit how I feel about her. _Mewtwo cringed with embarrassment just thinking about it. _I'm done thinking about it. I'm just going to do it, and time will tell what happens._

And Mewtwo dwelled no further on the subject. He stood up, and without a pause, he strode purposefully out of the cave, ready to settle this once and for all.

* * *

"Chaos, you have to be kidding. Nova is the last thing we should be worrying about right now!" 

Domino leaned over Chaos's desk, her eyes begging for an ounce of reason from her employer. It was one thing to be called into the Boss's office in the middle of the night when there were better things to do– sleep, for instance– but this . . . this ridiculous idea of vengeance that Chaos had built and had just revealed to Domino was something else entirely. This was beyond logic. Team Rocket had _real _problems at the moment to be dealt with, and they didn't include chasing down murderous Mewtwos just for the sake of getting even.

"Domino, please, don't worry about it," Chaos said with a dismissive wave of her hand. With the other, she scratched Persian behind his ears. The pokémon sitting at her side answered with a satisfied purr. Chaos smiled at the feline before looking again at Domino. "You don't think I've thought things through to some extent?"

Domino was too busy hovering over the line between exasperation and sheer anger to pay attention to what Chaos was saying. "You can't do this, Chaos. The executives will never approve, and you know very well that until you have a good, firm control over Team Rocket, you have to do your best to please the executives and the rest of the organisation and show them that you're a good and effective leader. Better than Giovanni, even, if you really want to be safe."

"And why are you so certain that they'll reject the idea?" Chaos asked, her eyebrow raised.

"They'll never approve of a mission like this," Domino snapped. "If they knew you were going to use Team Rocket money to fund a personal revenge mission–"

Chaos cut Domino's tirade short. "I won't be using Team Rocket's money. I'll be using my own fortune. It's not like I ever do anything else with it."

"Yes, well, there's still the fact that you'll be wasting time planning, organizing and carrying out something like this," Domino pointed out. "That won't go down very well."

Chaos rolled her eyes. "Oh, and Giovanni never wasted time planning, organizing, and carrying out things that involved personal matters like this?"

"Well, I'm sure he did, but nothing like this. This is a Mewtwo we're dealing with. This is going to take a considerable amount of effort."

Chaos sighed. She fell silent for a moment and rubbed Persian's head thoughtfully. Her eyebrows furrowed in thought and her eyes were narrowed, focussed on nothing in particular. The typical look of a mastermind at work. "I have a feeling that Nova is at Mount Queyna," she said, looking once again at Domino. "Something gives me a feeling that she followed Mewtwo there. Listen, Domino; I'm going to need your help to come up with a plan. This Mount Queyna– is there anything there worth exploiting?"

The answer sprang instantly into Domino's mind. "Yes, the water."

Chaos rose an eyebrow. "The water?"

Domino nodded. "Yes– the water there has incredibly bizarre healing capabilities. Anyone who drinks it is given perfect health. It saved Mewtwo from dying."

"So . . . this water _completely_ restores health?" Chaos asked, her eyes considerably widened.

Domino nodded.

"And no one's discovered this?"

"As far as I know, no," Domino replied. "The area is seldom explored."

"Well, then, I think I have a plan," said Chaos as her usual smirk made its presence obvious on her lips. "We'll organize a mission to go to Mount Queyna to acquire as much of this water as we can. We'll have Nova and the others captured at the same time, as they would obviously try and sabotage our operations. After we obtain all the water we need, we'll head back to Viridian– _with _Nova and the rest. Once we've arrived, we can sell the water to the public, which I'm sure will rake in astronomical amounts of money. And while we're at it, we may as well create a synthetic version of the water in the labs so our supply will never run out. Oh, and, of course, I'll slaughter Nova."

Domino crossed her arms. "Fair enough. But how do you plan on capturing Nova, anyway? And the other Mewtwos? Do you have any idea how much damage they could cause if you don't do things properly?"

"Let me worry about that," said Chaos, pausing to pet Persian, who had jumped onto her lap. "Just round up as many dark pokémon as you can, preferably the strongest you can find. But before anything else, I want you to make sure that Nova is actually at Mount Queyna, or else this entire plan won't work at all."

Domino bowed her head toward Chaos. "Yes, Boss."

Chaos grinned. "Good then. You're dismissed 009."

Domino was quick to leave the office. She had work to do and wasn't going to waste a second. Chaos watched as Domino left. Once the office doors had closed, the Team Rocket leader turned her seat and leaned back slightly. Persian nudged at her hand, obviously wanting a scratch behind the ears. Chaos smiled and granted the pokémon its wish.

"It's nice to see that you're so attached to me," said Chaos, unable to suppress a smile. "Though I haven't replaced Giovanni, have I?"

Persian shut his eyes as Chaos rubbed the fur on his head. "Mrrow."

"No, no, I would imagine not," chuckled Chaos. "Giovanni isn't someone you can really replace."

Persian gave a meow in response. Chaos continued to pet him, but her face had darkened considerably. "Don't worry, Persian . . . Nova will pay dearly for taking him away from us."

Persian purred in contentment, oblivious to the sinister workings of his master's mind.

* * *

Mewtwo had never felt nervous before. Not once had he ever found himself consumed by the trembling affliction that was anxiety; not once had his mind been clouded with panic. In moments of stress he never reacted with fear. At most, he became angry and aggressive, but he always found the strength to keep his mind clear and his thoughts focussed. To him, it was the only logical thing to do when faced with an obstacle. 

But now Mewtwo was nervous. At first he couldn't explain why he was sweating suddenly, or why he couldn't stop his hands from fidgeting, but it didn't take long to figure out. He was anxious. Terrified, almost. He had heard that humans often experienced this feeling before speaking in front of an audience, or before taking part in a very important pokémon battle, but he had never imagined that he himself would ever be stricken by the feeling.

_Get a grip on yourself! _he said inwardly. _What are you so worried about, anyway? You're only going to talk with Nova! What is so unspeakably terrifying about that?_

Mewtwo forced himself to take deep breaths. His unease refused to subside. _But how can I find the words to apologize to her? How can I tell her how I feel! I can't do this! This is absolutely insane! I can't talk to her! . . . No, no . . . I'm being foolish. I'm becoming worried over nothing whatsoever. Stress isn't healthy, after all. The chemicals involved– completely destructive towards the immune system– _

Mewtwo's mind continued to babble on. He walked through one of Mount Queyna's various caverns, his steps noticeably quick and uneasy. He focussed on maintaining a rhythm of deep breaths in an effort to calm himself. It wasn't working. His eyes darted back and forth erratically as he searched about for Nova, but part of him wished that he wouldn't find her. At least that would save him the trouble of having to talk to her. But at the same time, another part of him needed to see her more than anything else.

He continued to move through the cavernous corridors of the mountain, searching for Nova as he went. He peeked into every cave he passed, but he failed to find any sign of Nova, or even of Mew or Orion for that matter. Mount Queyna seemed completely devoid of life tonight.

Mewtwo was about to give up and return to his chambers, but he decided to check out one more cave before he did. He approached the nearest cavern he could find and peered around the edge of the entrance to see if anyone was in there. His eyes were greeted by a relatively pleasant sight. The cave was fairly long, and had one of Mount Queyna's many streams gurgling through it. The end of the cave opened up to the outside of the mountain, where the stream ended as a waterfall. Mewtwo could see the night and the landscape stretch out beyond the opening, and it appeared that a light drizzling of rain had started up. The sound it made as it fell was very soft and very pleasant compared to the roaring thunderclaps of the storm that had just finished passing over the mountain.

But something else much more important had drawn Mewtwo's attention. Just at the end of the cave, feet away from the opening, was Nova. She sat against the wall, and her head was facing away from Mewtwo. Mewtwo couldn't tell if she was sleeping or if she was merely watching the rain fall outside.

Mewtwo swallowed. He was visibly shaking now as his anxiety intensified. And at the same time, he felt a passionate longing swell in his chest as he gazed upon Nova; it was the same, heady feeling that had clouded his senses the time he had seen her in the hot springs. Mewtwo inhaled deeply, trying to push away his nervousness and every other emotion that was pulling at his mind.

_Well, it's now or never, _he thought to himself as he straightened his posture and prepared himself to enter. _It's time I get this over with._

Mewtwo could feel himself perspiring slightly as he stepped into the cave. He held his breath for a moment before finally forcing himself to say something. "Nova."

Nova jumped. She turned to face Mewtwo, her eyes wide. It had been days since she had last seen Mewtwo, and obviously she hadn't been expecting to see him now. "Mewtwo!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

Mewtwo studied her carefully, trying to read her expression. She stared back at him, arms crossed, waiting for a response. Mewtwo could tell that she was still angry with him, but something in her eyes told him that she wasn't all displeased to see him again. Mewtwo swallowed. "I need to talk to you."

"Right. Took you long enough," said Nova bitterly. "You've been hiding for days, Mewtwo. Really mature."

Mewtwo ignored the anger as it bubbled up inside of him. Gritting his teeth, he managed to utter what he had come here to say. "I'm sorry."

Nova froze. She looked at Mewtwo with one eyebrow raised. After all, it wasn't every day that one heard the great Mewtwo apologizing. "Pardon me?"

Mewtwo felt himself blushing. It was taking every ounce of determination he had to swallow his pride. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I'm sorry for getting in that argument with you a few days ago. It was completely foolish of me to get angry at you for being in my personal chambers. I'm sorry for being callous, and for saying things to you that I didn't mean. And I'm sorry for avoiding you, for shutting myself away and being too stubborn to come here and talk to you. To apologize to you."

Nova couldn't find the words to answer with. Mewtwo could easily tell that she was shocked. He, too, was shocked– he had never apologized to anyone before, and even he realized that this was completely unlike him

"I'm sorry, Nova. I sincerely feel wretched for how I've behaved," he continued. He forced himself to keep his head high, to stand confidently, no matter how embarrassed and awkward this was making him feel. He stared directly at Nova, piercing her eyes with his determined gaze. She stared back, too shocked to really to anything else. "Do you . . . do you forgive me?" Mewtwo managed to breathe.

Nova blinked and said nothing for a moment. The power of speech seemed to have left her, so she merely gave Mewtwo a weak nod. The small gesture was enough to send a powerful wave of relief surging through Mewtwo. She forgave him.

"Well, Mewtwo, I– I was hardly expecting this," Nova stammered, finally finding the words to say. "But . . . I forgive you. And I'm sorry myself. I– I suppose I was just as much at fault as you were. It wasn't really– it wasn't necessary for me to lose my temper the way I did."

"Well, then, I suppose I forgive you, too," Mewtwo answered.

Nova gave him a small smile. Mewtwo returned it, more than happy that he had finally gotten his apology out of the way. He hadn't expected it to be so easy. He deeply admired how Nova had so graciously forgiven him for being such an idiot.

The next few moments passed in silence as the Mewtwos merely stared at each other. The situation quickly became awkward, and Mewtwo found himself shifting uneasily, unsure of what to say or do next.

Nova, too, had noticed the awkwardness of the moment and decided to do something about it. "Come here, Mewtwo," she ordered quietly.

Mewtwo moved over to her, puzzled at what she wanted. He stood in front of her and looked down expectantly. Nova smiled up at him. It was a warm, irresistible smile that caused Mewtwo's heart to skip several beats. He knew that a blush was creeping across his cheeks, and he wanted to kick himself for it.

"Sit down with me, Mewtwo," she said softly. She reached up and gently took Mewtwo's hand in her own. Mewtwo marvelled at how lovely and delicate her skin felt. It made him feel breathless all of a sudden, as if he were in the presence of some divine goddess. Part of him wondered if he actually was.

Mewtwo managed to finally tear his gaze away from her and sit down. He tried to make himself comfortable on the ground– he wanted to be close to her, but not too close, because maybe then _she _would be uncomfortable– all the while still holding her hand. The entire situation left his mind spinning.

Nova was staring outside at the night sky and at the drizzle that fell from it. Mewtwo looked out there, too, and found that the stars and moon no longer seemed so amazing when he had someone like Nova there with him. The sky's wonder truly paled in comparison to her. Mewtwo thought of telling her that, but decided it would make him sound utterly foolish.

Another awkward silence set in, interrupted only by the drizzling of the rain and by the noise of the cave's stream and waterfall. Mewtwo searched desperately for something to say.

"So . . . er . . . it looks like it's raining again," he said sheepishly.

_Oh, sheer brilliance, Mewtwo– your talents at starting conversations are simply astounding! _he thought angrily to himself. _Honestly . . . the weather! The only thing you can find to talk about is the weather!_

Nova, however, didn't seem bothered by Mewtwo's less than brilliant comment. "Yes, it's been raining for a little while now. I thought that the storm had stopped, but I suppose this is the last of it."

Mewtwo nodded quickly in agreement. He was about to answer Nova when suddenly she came close to him into what seemed to be a cuddle. It wasn't anything shockingly bold, but she was closer than before, and her head rested on his shoulder. Mewtwo lost the ability to speak once again, and his cheeks burned red.

He forced a swallow and cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure. His mind found words to speak with again. "Um, Nova," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "I– I didn't come here just to apologize. I . . . I need to tell you something. Something important."

Nova tilted her head slightly. She gazed at Mewtwo with the softest of expressions, and Mewtwo felt a gush of heated emotions surge within him. "Yes, Mewtwo?" she said, her voice a gentle caress that sent Mewtwo's mind spinning.

"I– I care for you Nova," Mewtwo stammered. He could his throat tightening and his stomach turning, but be forced himself to continue. He needed to tell her this. He wanted to tell her this. "I mean . . . I _really _care for you. I– I can't even explain it completely– I've always felt the notion of attachment somewhat foolish. But– But I still find myself really, really caring for you."

Mewtwo held his breath. He stared at Nova warily, half expecting her to sneer at him and ridicule him for being so utterly foolish. But she didn't. She smiled at Mewtwo and uttered something like a laugh. But it wasn't a cold or condescending sound in any way; it was distinctly warm and happy.

"I feel the same way," she breathed, inching closer to Mewtwo as she spoke. Somehow Mewtwo found his arm wrapped around her waist.

The blush that had found it's way onto Mewtwo's face moments before was steadily ebbing away. Rather than feeling nervous and intimidated by Nova's closeness, Mewtwo found himself feeling just a little more confident.

"Nova . . . You're– You're beautiful," he continued. His voice still wavered slightly, but it was almost unnoticeable now. "I've always thought so. Just earlier today, I was looking for you, and I accidentally saw you in the springs. I– I was completely stricken by how beautiful you were . . . so much that I couldn't work up the sense to go and talk to you."

Mewtwo paused again. He was amazed to see that now Nova was the one who was blushing.

But– I'm not saying that I only care for you because you're attractive," Mewtwo said quickly. "No, in fact, that's really not the case at all– there's so much more than that." He paused briefly, trying to sort his thoughts, but at this point his emotions were so in control of what he was saying that there really wasn't much point. He plowed on. "Nova . . . All of my life, I've always felt alone, so alone that it was almost suffocating; there was never anyone like me . . . I lived like a shadow, in the shadows, completely alienated from any kind of society. It was a dismal existence, to say the least, and sometimes I thought that I might lose all sanity." Mewtwo paused, slightly embarrassed that he was admitting all of this to anyone. "But then . .. Then I met you," he continued. "And I thought that maybe I wasn't as alone as I had thought, that maybe I'm not a shadow. I– I admire you Nova. You're sharp, you're intelligent, and you possess a certain determination that I'm very drawn to. And I almost see myself in you sometimes– especially when it comes to your temper."

At this they both giggled lightly. Neither of them was going to deny that they possessed incredibly unpredictable temperaments.

"Mewtwo," Nova whispered as she came closer to him still. "I feel the same way."

Mewtwo felt his breath catch in his throat as Nova came closer to him, and he ceased breathing entirely. Her hands ran over his arms, his chest, and she was so close to Mewtwo that he could feel her warm breath on his skin. A passionate heat filled Mewtwo like a rush of magma, and his chest and stomach ached with longing. The ability to breathe eventually returned to him, but his breaths were shallow and desperate.

"You do?" he murmured, as Nova gently traced his jaw with her finger. "You feel as I do?"

Nova nodded.

Mewtwo gently grasped Nova by the shoulders, bringing her another inch closer. Then he said in barely more than a murmur, "But. . . Nova . . . I think I love you."

Nova's eyes widened softly, and her delicate lashes left Mewtwo hypnotized. Her head moved until their lips almost touched. "Mewtwo . . ." she whispered. "I think I love you, too."

There was little need for words after that. Nova's eyes lingered on Mewtwo's for the briefest moment, and Mewtwo felt that he wouldn't be able to stand the fire raking at his insides for a moment longer. Nova's eyes shut, and Mewtwo wasn't sure who kissed who first, only that suddenly their lips had brushed together in a kiss.

Rather than satisfying the passionate need burning in Mewtwo's chest, the kiss intensified the feeling by tenfold. It was a feeling unlike anything Mewtwo had felt before– it was dozens of times stronger than any emotion that had swept through him the _first _time he had kissed Nova.

Mewtwo's hands travelled gingerly down Nova's back, and he could feel her shiver at the sensation. She, in turn, framed his face with her hands, bringing her lips closer to his. Her tongue softly slid into Mewtwo's mouth and caressed Mewtwo's, and Mewtwo in turn responded with fervour. Their mouths remained sealed together, moving together, and their tongues remained in a mutual dance as the two Mewtwos held each other tightly. Mewtwo could feel Nova's hands roving across his skin and he trembled with exhilaration. Her hands raked across his chest needily, and she uttered something of a moan.

After several more moments of this, they finally separated to catch their breath. They were both wrapped together, lost in a tangle of arms and legs and tails. Their eyes fluttered open and they spent several silent moments just watching each other.

"Mewtwo . . ." Nova murmured, closing her eyes as if just uttering his name brought a feeling of utter peace upon her.

Mewtwo kissed her gently on the lips, and then moved lower, giving her affectionate kisses down her neck. Nova sighed and held him around the shoulders.

"Being with you like this," Mewtwo whispered, his lips still brushing across the sensitive skin of Nova's neck, "it's . . . lovely. Heavenly." He kissed her again on the neck and then the shoulder as if it was his purpose to kiss every inch of her.

Nova gently placed her hand under Mewtwo's chin and tilted his head upward so that she could deal him another kiss on the lips. He felt her tongue pushing past his lips again, exploring his mouth, and his heart drummed a furious tattoo against his rib-cage. His pulse throbbed faster than it ever had, invigorating him beyond words.

Their mouths finally pulled away as they surfaced for air. Mewtwo felt breathless, and judging by Nova's quick, deep intakes of air, she was too. She fell against Mewtwo's chest, and Mewtwo wrapped his arms around her, almost protectively. He kissed her lightly on the forehead.

Nova nestled against Mewtwo, closing her eyes. "Oh, it's getting late," she whispered breathlessly. "You know, I was about to go to sleep before you came here."

Mewtwo noticed her eyelids drooping slightly. "Oh," he said, taken aback. "I – I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to–"

"Oh, don't apologize," Nova laughed. "You have no idea how glad I am that you came. I wouldn't trade kissing you like that for anything in the world . . . A little lost sleep means nothing." She smiled serenely. "But . . . I'm a little bit tired now. I would like to rest."

"Oh, certainly," nodded Mewtwo. "I understand completely. Not everyone is as nocturnal as I am." He smiled down at her and kissed her once again on the forehead. "I'll just head back to my chambers then–"

Nova clutched to him. "No," she murmured. "I don't want you to leave, not so soon. Tonight I want you to stay with me. Sleep with me."

Mewtwo's eyes widened slightly. He swallowed nervously at the proposition. "Er, well, it's a bit soon for _that_, don't you think? We just–"

Nova hit him playfully. "I didn't mean it like _that! _I just want you to_ sleep _here!" She smiled at him teasingly. "Just so I can, you know, enjoy your company."

Mewtwo blushed. "Oh, of course then," he muttered sheepishly. "I'd be pleased to."

Nova dealt him an affectionate peck on the cheek, teasingly muttering about his slow-wittedness. Mewtwo answered with a growl and playfully tackled her.

"All right, that's enough, you," she said, unable to suppress a giggle. "I'm going to sleep now."

Without another word, Nova lay on the floor of the cavern, curling slightly on her side as she did. Her silver eyes slowly vanished behind their heavy lids. Mewtwo lay down beside her and draped an arm across her middle, holding her to himself. She cuddled up to him immediately.

"You know, I kind of miss human beds," she sighed, shifting around on the hard, stone ground.

"I apologize for the discomfort," Mewtwo murmured into her ear. "I'm so used to living in the wild . . . I never really noticed it."

"Oh, it's all right," Nova answered, her voice a soft sigh. "I do have you, after all, and that's all the comfort I need in the world."

Mewtwo chuckled and held her tighter. "Please don't go _too _sappy on me, Nova."

Nova laughed. "I wouldn't dream of it, Mewtwo."

Mewtwo smiled and leant over to give her one last kiss. Nova made a small purr of contentment, and Mewtwo fell back into place with his arm wrapped around her. He nuzzled her gently as she nodded off, and soon he could hear her breathing fall into a slow and steady rhythm. She was asleep.

Mewtwo sighed to himself. His night couldn't have turned out better, he concluded. Ai had been absolutely right in giving the advice that she had– Mewtwo had never felt so happy in all of his existence. Why hadn't he listened to Mew before?

The drizzle continued to pour outside, and its sound combined with the gurgle of the stream and the rush of the waterfall steadily lulled Mewtwo into a stupor. The feeling of Nova's warm body against his caused a sensation of contentment to swell in his chest. How had he ever lived without this?

Mewtwo didn't have time to mull over the question. Succumbing without a fight to the cradling arms of slumber, Mewtwo was soon swept away into the best sleep that he had ever had.

* * *

End of Chapter XIV 


	15. A Scheme Disguised

Author's Notes: Yes, long wait, I know. I have a severe updating disorder called life that likes to be a pain in the neck. And this chapter is quite short in comparison to the last few... so if you were expecting a nice long ramble, I apologize.

But anyway, here we are. New chapter. Introducing a new character, here too. He's a canon character, but I know next to nothing about him, mostly because he's obscure to begin with... so he may be out of character. And if he is, well, I can always use a little thing called "artistic license" as an excuse. :-)

Last Chapter: Chaos continued to plot against Nova, choosing to disguise her plan to kill Nova as an operation to go and steal Mount Queyna's miracle water. Otherwise, the executives might not have been too happy with her little obsession with vengeance against Nova. Meanwhile, Mewtwo finally caved, and apologized to Nova. They then kissed and made up (literally) in what is the sappiest scene I've ever written.

* * *

Shadows Like You

Chapter XV _A Scheme Disguised_

By Cosmic Mewtwo

* * *

Chaos didn't visit the labs often. For most of her career as a Rocket, and for much of her career as Boss, the Team Rocket laboratories simply hadn't been much of a concern to her. She had work to do and things to worry about, and the latest activities of the Team Rocket scientists simply weren't among her priorities. Today, however, was an exception, for Chaos found herself deep in the underbelly of the HQ, navigating her way through the maze of Team Rocket's labs.

The labs were a strange environment to Chaos. They were far too cold and sterile for her liking; there were machines and computers everywhere, scientific instruments whose uses she could only guess, and too many scientists to count. Warmth and colour were scarce. Everything seemed to be either white or stainless steel. The only splashes of hue that Chaos could see were the beakers of chemicals that littered the tables and the small red 'R's stitched into the scientists' labcoats.

Chaos felt strange walking through the labs. With each step she took, she was fully aware of how darkly she contrasted with her pallid surroundings– it was a shocking change from her darkly-lit office. She could feel the scientists glancing at her as she went past; they, too, were somewhat surprised by her presence. Though she was their boss, she never visited the labs. She _had_ been smart enough to keep them running after Giovanni had died and was wholly conscious of their activities, but she had kept her distance from them. She barely knew her way around the scientific wing of the Headquarters, and she only vaguely knew who her head scientists were. It was one of these scientists that had brought Chaos down into the labs in the first place.

The scientist she was looking for was a man by the name of Dr. Sebastian. She had met him and some of the other most prominent scientists of Team Rocket before, but she didn't know the man personally. She remembered him visiting Giovanni's office a few times before Giovanni's demise, and had seen him in a few meetings, but other than those few encounters, she knew little about him. What she had managed to gather was that Dr. Sebastian was a particularly good physicist who also had a certain amount of expertise in pokémon biology, especially that of rare and strong breeds of pokémon. Chaos had a feeling that this scientist would be particularly useful to her in her plan to kill Nova.

Chaos's only problem was that she had no idea where to find the man. The laboratories were divided into several different sections, all of which were utter labyrinths teeming with dozens and dozens of scientists. Finding one specific employee seemed to be an impossible task.

Chaos was scanning the area impatiently, tapping her foot on the white, tile floor. There was no sign of the scientist anywhere. She had circled through the labs in search of him as thoroughly as she could, but she hadn't seen a hint of him yet. Knowing very well that she wasn't about to find him herself, she singled out one of the nearby scientists for help.

"Hey, you," she said, tapping a scientist on the shoulder.

The scientist ceased whatever it was he was doing and turned to face his Boss. His eyes widened slightly when he realized who had tapped him. "Oh... Boss!"

Chaos narrowed her eyes. "Do you know where Doctor Sebastian is?"

The scientist before her cowered slightly. It wasn't pleasant to be approached by a Mewtwo who seemed annoyed."Well, uh . . . Have you checked his office?"

Chaos glared. "Of course I've checked his office. Wouldn't that be the first and most obvious place to look?"

"I, uh, I guess you're right ma'am," the scientist muttered. He pointed to somewhere behind Chaos."Well, he might be over there in that room– he's been busy with a few projects in there for the last few days."

Chaos nodded. She turned away from the scientist to let him resume whatever it was he had been doing in the first place. Moving in the direction that the scientist had pointed to, she realized that he had been pointing at a door, one which probably led into a different lab. Chaos sincerely hoped that Dr. Sebastian was in there. She had other things to do and didn't plan on spending all day searching for him.

Chaos quickly opened the door, quietly and without so much as a knock. The room that lay behind the door was considerably emptier, smaller and quieter than the lab she had just left. It was completely void of scientists, which led Chaos to the conclusion that perhaps this was Dr. Sebastian's personal lab.

Chaos stepped into the room, quietly closing the door behind her as she did. She liked this room much better than the one she had just left– it was darker and considerably more peaceful. There were no scientists rushing about, no whirring and beeping of machinery, no cries of lab-pokémon to be heard. Just quiet, save for a strange tapping and scratching noise.

"Dr. Sebastiann!" Chaos called. "Are you in here?"

The room went quiet for a moment before a serious, slightly annoyed voice answered, "Yes, over here."

Chaos took a few steps forward and looked around a shelf stacked full of books and poke-balls to see who it was who had answered her. She instantly saw the source of the noise she had heard– a grey-haired scientist, Dr. Sebastian, was scribbling away at a chalkboard, writing a string of numbers and symbols that Chaos could only decipher as some sort of scientific equation.

Calmly, Chaos stepped toward him, crossing her arms. "So this is where you've been hiding. I've been looking for you all day."

Dr. Sebastian gave her a quick glance of acknowledgment before turning back to the chalkboard. He continued to write down whatever it was he was writing down, without so much as another glance at Chaos. From behind round-rimmed glasses, his eyes followed his hand and nothing else as it flew across the surface of the blackboard. "Oh?" he said flatly.

Chaos narrowed her eyes slightly. She didn't particularly appreciate the man's indifferent reaction to her presence. As the leader of Team Rocket, didn't she deserve her inferiors' full attention? "Am I interrupting something?" she asked, unable to keep a bite of sarcasm from slipping into her voice.

"Oh, I was only just unlocking the process of cold fusion," he replied in a perfectly deadpan tone. "Nothing important."

"Right. Very amusing, Sebastian," Chaos snapped, rolling her eyes. "Listen, do you remember me coming to see you a couple of weeks ago?"

The scientist finally decided to set his piece of chalk down and turned to Chaos, brushing off his lab-coat as he did. "Of course. You wanted me to round up all the most powerful dark pokémon that Team Rocket owned for a reason which you didn't care to explaine."

"Yes, that," Chaos replied. "Did you get them?"

Dr. Sebastian nodded. "Yes. They're in storage right now, and the rest of the scientists are taking good care of them. They're there for you whenever you want them."

Chaos smiled. "Excellent work. I trust you rounded up the most powerful species you could find? Tyrannitar, houndoom, umbreon...?"

"Yes, yes," Dr. Sebastian answered dismissively, "all the most vicious breeds of dark pokémon you could possibly want. We even had some uncommon ones shipped from Hoenn."

"Oh? Good then," said Chaos with an impressed nod. She then paused for a moment, as if thinking something through. "Well, listen– I have another assignment for you."

"Mm hmm,"replied Dr. Sebastian as he began to organize pile a of papers scattered on a nearby desk. "What is it?"

"Well, I need you to design something for me – a sort of device that could completely block the powers of a very a powerful psychic pokémon. A Mewtwo, for example."

Dr. Sebastian turned to face Chaos. He surveyed her coolly from behind his glasses, one eyebrow raised. "If I may ask . . . What exactly are you up to, anyway?"

The corner of Chaos's lip curled into a darkly satisfied grin. "Oh, I just have a bit of a plan that I've been working on for a few weeks now... If you attend the meeting I've scheduled for later today, you'll hear all the details."

The scientist gazed at Chaos skeptically. "Right. Of course," he muttered. "So... you want me to design some sort of device that will completely suppress the powers of a psychic pokémon, or to be more specific— a Mewtwo?"

Chaos nodded. "Yes. You can do it, can't you?"

"I can't imagine it would be too difficult," said Dr. Sebastian as he thoughtfully stroked the goatee on his chin. "When the original Mewtwo was created, Giovanni had armour built that was designed to control and regulate Mewtwo's release of power. I imagine that by tweaking that technology, I could come up with something that would block the output of psychic power completely."

"Well, I don't care how you go about doing it, just get it done," Chaos answered flatly.

Dr. Sebastian rolled his eyes and turned away to resume organizing his papers. "And when do you expect to have this little project completed?"

"As soon as possible. I'll give you a week, maximum." Chaos then turned away and moved in the direction of the door.

"One question, Madam," the scientist said suddenly.

Chaos paused and turned her head just enough to that she could see Sebastian in the corner of her vision. "Yes?" she snapped.

"Well, it appears that you consider this to be quite an important little project," he replied with an odd grin. "Any chance I'll be given any sort of special reward for completing it?"

Chaos thought for a moment. "Yes," she said, suddenly stricken by an idea. "Two live Mewtwos, one dead, for you to conduct experiments on. Or study, or whatever. I don't care. You'll be given the most expensive lab rats the Rocket labs will ever have, and you can do with them whatever it is you wish."

Sebastian's couldn't stop himself from smiling. The most powerful species of pokémon in the world, free for him to experiment with and study. . . No Rocket scientist could decline such an offer. "Excellent," he answered. "I'll look forward to that."

"Only if you get the job done,"she pointed out sharply. "So get to work. Now."

Dr. Sebastian nodded. Satisfied, Chaos turned away from him and left the labs.

* * *

Though it was early in the morning on Mount Queyna, the sun had already climbedhigh above the landscape. It shone down on the mountain with a quiet intensity, washing everything beneath in a warm, morning glow. The water of the springs seemed to come to life under the sun, each ripple jumping and sparkling with light. Everything was calm and crisp, and only the smallest puffs of cumulus cluttered the otherwise flawless sky.

It was a perfect morning to be outside enjoying the fresh air, and Mew and Orion had been wise to take advantage of the beautiful weather. They had planted themselves near the healing spring to enjoy a fresh breakfast of berries and fruit that they had gathered from the trees scattered across the mountain. They lounged comfortably in the soft grass near the water's edge, perfectly content to bask in the utter peace of the morning.

Mew and Orion were greatly enjoying their meal. Because of the storm and the rain that had passed over the mountain recently, it had been while since they had the chance to come outside. But even though they were both content and pleased by the gracious weather, Orion was not quite at ease. Though he was completely in awe of his surroundings and perfectly content to be there, he didn't feel as happy as he felt he should. As usual, there was something nagging at the back of his mind, something that refused to let him concentrate on anything else, something that hadn't left him alone since he had left Viridian City . . .

It wasn't intentional. He didn't want to be thinking about _her_. He would have rather been focussing on his surroundings, soaking up his lovely environment, or talking and laughing with Mew. But nothing seemed to purge his mind of the shadow that hung over his thoughts – Chaos, the darkest shadow there was_ – _no matter how hard he tried to push it away. He wanted to think positively, and not about the knot in his stomach or the dull ache in his chest.

A soft voice broke into Orion's thoughts, surprising him slightly. "Orion?" Mew asked. "You haven't eaten much."

"Oh, I suppose not," he murmured. "I was just too entranced by the beauty of this place, I guess. Are the mornings always this lovely?" He grabbed an apple from the mound of food that he and Mew had compiled and absently took a bit out of it. He was too distracted to truly taste it.

Mew nodded, swallowing several bright red berries as she did. "Oh, usually. Unless there's a storm or something." She paused briefly, flashing Orion a grin. "I'm guessing the mornings in Viridian City aren't like this?"

Orion shook his head. "No. Definitely not. There's no nature to speak of– just humans and noise." Orion couldn't fake any cheer in his voice, and realized even as he spoke how hollow he sounded. He hoped Mew wouldn't notice. She seemed to have a habit of deciphering people's true moods and confronting them about it, which was the last thing Orion wanted right now.

But as Orion had suspected, she had noticed. She set the fruit that she had been nibbling on aside and stared at Orion, her blue eyes narrowed slightly. "Something troubling you?"

Orion sighed and, without meaning to, rolled his eyes. "No Mew. I'm fine."

Mew wasn't convinced. "Sure you are," she teased, unable to suppress a small grin. "I know you Mewtwos well enough to know when something is wrong."

"Listen, it's nothing," Orion muttered. He dropped his gaze and looked at the grass, hoping to withdraw from Mew's devastatingly accurate intuition.

Mew, however, never gave up quite so easily. "I really don't mean to pry into your personal matters, Orion," said Mew. "But... I can tell that something is wrong."

Orion looked up at her. There was something about the gentleness in her voice that made him want to tell her everything that was on his mind– just discard his defences and say what he was really thinking. There was a profound understanding in her eyes, as if she had heard every problem that had ever existed and could solve them with little more than a wave of her paw. And yet, Orion felt himself remaining silent, biting his lower lip in hesitation.

Mew remained silent for a few moments before she spoke up again. "You've seemed a little bit off since arriving here," she said in a carefully gentle tone. "I get the feeling that there's something bothering you about leaving Team Rocket."

"I... well, I was hurt by someone there," Orion murmured before he could stop himself.

Mew nodded in a way that suggested she had suspected that all along. "And yet... even though you've left Viridian City behind, you still can't seem to let go." She looked at Orion, and her eyes narrowed slightly as if an idea had just crossed her mind. "Did you perhaps not want to leave this someone even though they treated you badly?"

Orion could only stare at Mew– how could she know something like that?

Mew gave Orion a smile, one that she hoped would spur him to open up . "It's all right, Orion. I completely understand."

Orion shifted uncomfortably for a moment. Could he open up to her? Could he safely brush away his defences and share this emotional burden with her? He cast a furtive glance in her direction. Something in her eyes told him yes, she would listen to him, she would understand his problems, so before he could reconsider, he began to talk.

"I— I just think that she didn't really mean what she did to me," said Orion. He was in too much of a hurry to explain who he was referring to, but Mew's silence made it obvious that she understood well enough. "I just think that maybe. . . maybe there is actually good left in her. I— I just don't know. It's just that— when she was with me— she seemed. . . she seemed sweet. She genuinely seemed to care for me. But I don't know if it was an act or not. I really don't understand why she would bother manipulating me . . . It's just that. . . when she wasn't with me, she was awful. . . heartless . . . And when she left me, she only got worse. . . I don't know what made her that way– I mean, she always had a dark streak, and I can only imagine that being with Giovanni made that worse, but. . . I really don't know Mew. I don't even know what I'm supposed to think anymore."

Orion finished his confession with a sigh. He knew his words had been jumbled and that it was doubtful that Mew had made any sense of it, but he felt better nonetheless. A part of the weight had been lifted off his chest, and he couldn't argue with how relieved he felt.

Mew was in the air now, floating a little closer to Orion. She rested her small, paw-like hand on his shoulder. "I can understand your confusion, Orion. It just needs to be given time. Your mind will clear eventually, and then you can heal."

What if I don't want to give it time? Orion thought. What if I don't want to heal? _What if I just want her back?_

Orion pulled away from Mew. "Yeah... maybe you're right," he muttered. Somehow he had expected Mew to give him better advice, something infinitely wise that would have cured his heartache at once. But she hadn't, and Orion felt just a little bit worse.

Wanting to avoid Mew's gaze, Orion looked down at the ground and busied himself with ripping up blades of grass. He was too preoccupied with his own troubles to notice Mew's eye light up in surprise when two other people appeared near the healing spring.

"—Mewtwo!" she exclaimed. "What . . .? Where have you been— and Nova!"

Orion couldn't suppress the need to look up, and when he did, he saw that Mewtwo and Nova had just come up the stairs into the healing spring. He and Mew hadn't seen Mewtwo or Nova for days, and he was curious as to what they had been up to. According to Mew, they had been hiding from each other over some foolish argument, but for such circumstances, they didn't seem upset with each other in the least. In fact, they both looked uncharacteristically content.

"Well, it seems you two have finally snapped out of your foul moods," quipped Mew, who cast her eye on Mewtwo in particular. "Care to explain?"

Mewtwo and Nova exchanged curious grins, as if they both knew some glorious secret that no one else knew about it.

"It's nothing," said Mewtwo, still grinning. "We merely came to our senses and apologized to each other. We finally met to set aside a few differences."

Mew's lips twitched slightly, as if she were trying not to smile. She cast a knowing gaze upon them. "I see."

Orion looked at Nova, and then at Mewtwo. They were looking at each other very strangely; for the entire time Orion had known Nova, he had never seen her look at someone like that. It was immediately obvious to him to what was going on.

"Well, I'm glad you two are finally. . . getting along," he told them with a smile. His smile, however, threatened to falter under the current of envy that suddenly seeped through him. He was indeed happy for them, they were a good match, after all, but he couldn't help but feel jealous. They reminded him how he had no one, and how the only person he cared for was. . . Well, it wasn't something he wanted to keep thinking about.

"Have a seat, you two," Mew told them, patting the grass beneath her. "Orion and I were just having a small breakfast to start the day. No harm in you two joining."

Mewtwo and Nova sat beside Orion, and at once all four pokémon resumed eating their humble breakfast of fruit and berries. They talked and laughed together, happy to enjoy the sun and to finally be together without any feeling of tension or impending argument. Mewtwo and Nova seemed genuinely content with one another, smiling, teasing, and simply enjoying the other's company. Mew smiled openly, obviously satisfied that Mewtwo wasn't brooding for once.

Orion laughed with them, smiled, feigned cheerfulness for the comfort of everyone else. Though he tried to believe that he was just as happy as the others, he couldn't quite ignore how empty and miserable he truly felt.

* * *

Chaos had never liked the Team Rocket executives. There was something about them, a certain coldness, that made even Chaos feel uneasy around them. It was true that most members of Team Rocket possessed a certain evil streak, a natural inclination to do what was wrong just to get ahead— but it was worse with the executives. They were considerably colder, more calculating, and less human than the typical rocket. The rockets, for the most part, were the brawn of Team Rocket— the executives were the brain. Everything they did was planned, organized and carefully laid out— Chaos was sure that they all could have done remarkably well in the cut-throat world of business had they not been attracted instead to the literally cut-throat world of Team Rocket.

They possessed exactly the same disposition Giovanni had possessed, but it had seemed less dangerous in him. Where Giovanni had been at the top of Team Rocket and perfectly comfortable with his position, the executives always wanted to climb ever and ever higher. They could never be completely satisfied until they climbed as high as they possibly could within Team Rocket, and there was absolutely nothing that could get in their way that they wouldn't destroy. It was this fierce ambition, this predatory intelligence, that unnerved Chaos. She knew very well that they saw her as a weaker leader than Giovanni, and none of them would hesitate to dispose of her and take her place if they saw just an inkling of a chance.

No, Chaos wasn't particularly fond of the Team Rocket executives. She disliked them more than anything else, except for one thing— being in a room full of them, which was exactly the sort of circumstances she found herself in now.

Chaos hadn't exactly been looking forward to this meeting, mostly because the entire point of it was to persuade the executives to support the little 'venture' she had planned— the plan to kill Nova that was disguised as a plan to steal Mount Queyna's healing water. It wasn't going to be easy, and some part of her feared that she would fail. And if that were to happen, then her control over them would slip, and she'd have to struggle again to win their respect. If only she were Giovanni, she wished, able to terrify anyone into compliance by mere presence alone. But she was not Giovanni, and simply had to hope for the best.

She scanned the meeting room, praying her eyes didn't betray any of the unease stirring in her mind. This was one of the biggest meetings she had held in a long time. The meeting table was filled on either side, and not with just executives— there was a handful of Rockets and scientists, too.

Everyone was still settling in to their seats, which gave Chaos a few moments to gather herself. She leaned back into her large, leather chair, hoping that if she looked comfortable and at ease, she would appear confident and in control. Persian, obediently at her side, rubbed affectionately against her leg, which made her feel somewhat stronger. It reminded her of Giovanni, and how badly she wanted to succeed as well as he had.

"All right, quiet everyone," Chaos called, and the noise of the room faded. "I have some things to get through and I want to get through them quick. None of us have all day."

Chaos leaned back a little further, and brought the round tips of her fingers together. "I've been brewing a little plan as of late, one that I think will really make a lot of profit if we do things right." She paused, and looked around to make sure he held everyone's undivided attention. Satisfied, she continued. "Does everyone remember Mount Queyna?"

Their was an affirmative murmur from the assembly, and Chaos rose an eyebrow. "Really? Funny, that," she muttered. "I would have thought that if you all remembered Mount Queyna so well, someone amongst you would have mentioned the glorious natural resource there. But apparently that isn't the case."

"What natural resource are you referring to?" one of the executives demanded curtly.

Chaos glared. "The water. Domino only told me about ita few weeks ago—" Chaos motioned to Domino, who was seated a few spots away from Chaos, "—and I did my own research into the Team Rocket database. Apparently Mount Queyna's water has come remarkable healing properties— better than any healing potion ever known. Even stopped Mewtwo from dying. And it seems the effect it has on humans is similar. And, apparently, it tastes better than any regular water and creates a feeling of well-being even if you're not ill to begin with." Chaos paused to lean forward slightly, her eyes gleaming. "Do you understand the possibilities of selling such a product? The sort of money we could make off that?"

She saw some of the executives lean forward in interest, which brought a grin to Chaos's lips. She had hoped that greed would appeal to them.

One of the executives spoke up. "So you want to sell this water?"

"Obviously," said Chaos dryly. "My plan is to send some Rockets to Mount Queyna, gather every drop of water we can, bottle it, sell it, and have the scientists create a synthetic version in the lab so we'll never run out. And then we can destroy the original source so no one but Team Rocket will have their hands on it. Frankly, it's all so easy I'm surprised it hasn't been done already. It seems like something that would have been right up Giovanni's alley."

"Well, then, what are we waiting for?" an anonymous Rocket asked. "All we need is the equipment, and we can—"

"Well, there's a little snag in the plan, I'm afraid," interrupted Chaos. "Going by the fact that the original Mewtwo used to live on Mount Queyna, Is uspected that perhaps he and the other Mewtwos sought refuge there after leaving Team Rocket. And apparently I was right. I had Domino keep on eye on the mountain for a couple of weeks using satellite surveillance, and we did indeed find that Mewtwo and the others are there. And I'm sure we can safely assume that they won't just let us barge onto their mountain and steal their water."

The assembled group of Rockets and executives began murmuring feverishly. "Well how are we supposed to fix that?" asked one executive.

"I do indeed have a plan—" began Chaos, but she was interrupted by the voices of her audience.

"What do you intend to do with the Mewtwos? Kill them?"

"Well, if they get needlessly hostile, yes," answered Chaos. "But I'd rather not. They're far too expensive to destroy. If I can, I'll have them brought back to the labs. They'll be wonderful test subjects for our scientists, I'm sure."

The executives seemed sceptical. "How do you plan on actually subduing these things? They're Mewtwos, for God's sake, not some run-of-the-mill breed of pokémon that—"

"Do you honestly think I don't consider these details?" cut in Chaos, one of her eyebrows raised in annoyance. "I've spoken with the scientists already. They've already assembled all he strongest dark pokémon that Team Rocket owns to use in an attack. And, as we speak, they're working on a method to inhibit the Mewtwos' psychic powers. As soon as they have that worked out, I can add the finishing touches to my attack strategy which I intend to explain in full detail next week. And after that . . . well, I hope to actually get this over with as soon as possible."

Chaos fell silent and allowed the group to indulge themselves in a few moments of discussion. She felt her stomach begin to stir with nervousness as she eyed them carefully. She couldn't quite tell whether or not they approved of her plan— their words were too noisy and rushed to understand. But there was a peculiar gleam in the executives' eyes— one of sheer greed— that lifted Chaos's spirits. They were obviously attracted by the profit she had promised.

Chaos swallowed any lingering anxiety she had and cleared her throat loudly to attract everyone's attention. The voices dissipated, and everyone present in the room turned to her. "Well, in the interest of getting this meeting over with," she said, "I'd like to know what your opinion is of the plan. Is it a go?"

Everyone assembled nodded unanimously and murmured their agreement. Chaos felt relief surge through her. "Good then. Well, if that's the case, then you are all dismissed. I will call a meeting next week to go over the final details."

Chaos turned away from her audience, and they all took it as a sign to leave. They rose from their chairs and gradually filtered out of the conference room until no one was left behind, save Chaos, who remained seated in her leather chair. Once the door closed behind the last Rocket, Chaos sank back into her chair, a smug grin on her face. She couldn't believe what she had just gotten away with. She chuckled darkly to herself in a moment of private celebration.

"Well, Persian, looks like I'll be murdering Nova after all," she cooed to the feline pokémon who had fallen asleep at her side during the meeting. She rubbed Persian behind his ears, and the cat answered by purring softly in his sleep. Chaos's smile broadened. She hadn't felt so pleased in weeks.

The Team Rocket boss then began to stroke Persian's silky, cream fur, smiling as she did. She and Persian remained like that for several more moments, both lost in the rhythm of Chaos's hand running down the smooth curve of Persian's spine. Persian purred on in contentment, as if it were Giovanni himself petting him.

* * *


	16. The Shadows in the Mountain

Yep, I'm sure you're all used to sparse updates from me by now... Oh well. Here's a long chapter to entertain you. Enjoy.

Oh yes, this basically takes place IMMEDIATELY after the last chapter, so, I hope you all remember what Chaos has been up to.

_Last Chapter_: Chaos made a deal with Dr. Sebastian— she would give him Mewtwos to experiment on if he could make her some sort of device that would hinder their psychic powers.  
And then Chaos convinced the executives to go along with her revenge plan.  
On Mount Queyna, Orion sulked. Yes, it's a very boring mountain, people.

* * *

Shadows Like You 

Chapter XVI _The Shadows in the Mountain_

By Cosmic Mewtwo

* * *

When the first tendrils of dawn began to unfurl over the horizon, Mewtwo began to stir quietly in his sleep. Through the windows, the light leaked into his chamber and cast golden rectangles on the stone walls. Slowly, the warm sunlight strengthened and intensified until the rectangles expanded and blurred, purging what little darkness was left in the cold, stone-walled room. Roused by the warmth and brightness of the light, Mewtwo's eyes flickered open.

Though he was awake, Mewtwo did not move from where he lay. He had no desire to move so much as an inch, for where he lay was perfect— he was at Nova's side, his arms wrapped around her slumbering form.

Mewtwo closed his eyes and held Nova to himself as tightly as he could without waking her. He gently nuzzled the back of her neck with his nose, and as he breathed in her delicate scent and explored her soft skin with his hands, he wondered how he had ever survived without her. No joy he had ever experienced in his life could compare to the bliss that overcame him in the mornings when he and his love would simply lay on the floor, dazed, knotted in each other's arms. At first, welcoming Nova into his home in such an intimate way had been strange to Mewtwo, but now he knew that life wouldn't be worth living any other way.

Mewtwo sighed to himself and closed his eyes, letting himself float in the place between sleep and consciousness as the morning sun continued to climb higher. He lounged in his contented stupor until Nova, stirred by the presence of light in the room, began to wake from her slumber. She moved slightly and let out a small yawn, and Mewtwo pulled her closer still.

"Good morning, Mewtwo," she yawned, turning to face him. She rubbed her eyes blearily. "My, clingy this morning, aren't we?"

Mewtwo chuckled, and squeezed her teasingly. "I just... like being close to you."

"You're close to me all the time," she replied, rolling her eyes in mock annoyance. "Didn't you have enough 'close' time with me last night?"

Mewtwo let out a small laugh and felt himself blush. It was more than obvious what she was referring to. "You enjoyed last night just as much as I did, love," he pointed out, his lips twisting into a deviously suggestive grin.

Nova answered with her own mischievous smile. "And the night before that," she pointed out. "And the night before that, and the night before—"

"All week, I think?" said Mewtwo. Nova nodded, and Mewtwo laughed in an effort to distract himself from the blush spreading across his face. It _was _somewhat embarrassing; he hadn't expected his relationship with Nova to develop so quickly, into something so intimate, but he had been powerless to stop it. He had never known until recently how all-consuming one's instincts could become, how one could simply lose themselves in the urges that sprung from the most primal part of the mind.

Not that he had wanted to stop it, of course– he and Nova were certainly in love, and they had seen no harm in expressing that. After all, they were just like any other living creature, human or pokémon, with the same typical needs. They had both been quite willing to add a more physical dimension to their quickly budding romance.

Mewtwo couldn't say he regretted having made love with Nova so quickly. And, judging by her eagerness to do it so frequently, Mewtwo had a feeling that she was quite comfortable with it, too. It hadn't been fantastic at first, Mewtwo had to admit– after all, neither had been in any sort of relationship before, and things had proceeded awkwardly at best. But it was nothing a little time and practice hadn't been able to remedy.

Mewtwo pulled Nova closer to himself, unable to express his gratitude for her in any other way. "I really do love you, Nova," he told her.

"I know you do," she replied. "You haven't let me out of your sight in days! Poor Orion and Mew– we've been completely ignoring them."

Mewtwo frowned. He hadn't thought of that. "You're certainly right about that. Do you... do you suppose we should pay them a visit? Maybe have breakfast with them or something?"

Nova paused to consider it. After several moments of silent thought, she cuddled up closer to Mewtwo and answered, "Oh, I'm sure they're fine for now. We can visit them later."

"And by 'later,'do you mean sometime this millenium, or...?"

Nova lowered her eyebrows and gave Mewtwo a crooked sort of smile. "Shut up, you." She kissed Mewtwo on the cheek, and they both broke into a bout of laughter, for no other reason than that they were perfectly content with each other. They were happy beyond words, happier than they had ever been during their entire lives...

And yet neither realized how quickly that was all about to change.

* * *

After a long and peaceful day, night swept quietly and quickly over Mount Queyna. A black, star spattered blanket had been thrown over the sun, robbing the sky of its light and warmth. Where there had once been white puffs of cumulus, there were now twinkling patterns of stars and patches of wispier, darker clouds. The only light came from the cold and austere moon, which bathed the mountain in molten silver light that seemed to chill the very air it touched.

But as night had arrived on Mount Queyna, so, too, had something else. With the coming of nightfall, something else had come to Mount Queyna, something considerably more sinister than the stars, or moon, or the brisk, nighttime air.

Two dark figures stood at the base of the mountain, each hardly conspicuous compared to the monolithic rock that towered before them. One seemed to be looking up at the mountain, as if waiting for something, and the other was kneeling over a backpack., rummaging through its contents.

The standing figure spoke. "Chaos, you've checked five times to make sure the inhibitors are still in there– I hardly think you need to check again."

The other figure continued to rummage through her bag. "Yes, Domino, I know– but it never hurts to be careful."

Domino tapped her foot impatiently. She resisted the urge to say something critical because, after all, it was her boss that she was talking to. "Do you think this will work?"

"Of course it will work," said Chaos, still searching. "Our Rockets are on the outskirts of the valley, just waiting for us to give them the signal. They'll be here as soon as we climb this mountain and do our part."

"It's a shame you can't just teleport us there."

"I know... But I can't risk having _them_ sense any sudden bursts of psychic energy. And we couldn't simply fly all the way to the mountain– they would see us too easily. The whole plan would be sabotaged."

"Uh-huh," said Domino in disinterest, having heard it all before.

Chaos paid no attention to her. She continued to dig through her backpack, but still couldn't find what she was looking for. Her hands were trembling too much. She had never felt so nervous– but she couldn't afford to have this plan go wrong, she had planned far too long and hard to have it collapse now. She felt nervous even while talking to Domino– using telepathy was a psychic power, even though it was a very weak one. What if the other Mewtwos picked up on it?

But Chaos needed to keep talking. It kept her distracted. "All right. So we get to the top of the mountain, and we find where Nova and the others are. You have the map of the mountain's caves, right?"

"Obviously," Domino muttered flatly. "Be a bit stupid of me to forget."

Chaos didn't have the time or the patience to snap at Domino for her impudence; she just continued to talk. "Right, right . . . so then we sneak up on them— hoping they're asleep— and when we find them, we release the dark pokémon to attack them, we attach the inhibitors— "

"I know the plan, Chaos!" Domino sighed. "We've gone over it a thousand times!"

Chaos would have glared at Domino this time, but she had just found what it was that she had been looking for in her backpack. There, tucked away underneath a mess of poké-balls and climbing equipment, were four metal collars, each large enough to fit around the neck of a Mewtwo. They were the special devices that Dr. Sebastian had created, the ones Chaos needed in order to block the psychic powers of Nova and the others. As far as Chaos could tell, they were a technological marvel— they functioned by creating an electric current that inhibited neurons from expelling any energy in the form of psychic power. Or, at least that's what Chaos had understood of Sebastian's long and pointless explanation of them. The strength of the inhibitors could be adjusted accordingly by means of remote control, depending on how much power Chaos wanted to suppress.

"All right, we have the inhibitor collars. We can keep moving," said Chaos. "Let's get going. We can climb up to that cave." The Mewtwo pointed to a cave not too far above them, one of the many with a waterfall gushing out. "I'm sure that will lead us into Mount Queyna's network of caves. We'll follow the tunnels until we reach the island at the top of the mountain— and we'll find the Mewtwos from there."

Domino nodded, happy to finally be getting something done. The duo quickly unpacked their rope and climbing equipment, and for several moments, each stood looking up at the mountain as if considering its silent challenge to be climbed.

The challenge was accepted. Chaos and Domino were quick to begin their ascent. Their hands and feet scrambled up the sheer wall of rock, each of them moved on by their dark excitement for the task that lay ahead. . .

* * *

Orion thought that the healing spring was one of the most beautiful places on Mount Queyna during the nighttime. There was something profoundly calm about it, as if its peaceful ambience could heal the soul just as the water could heal the body. Perhaps it was the chill of the brisk, night air, or the way the water's surface looked like black silk without any warm breeze to wrinkle it, but whatever the reason, Orion felt that it was the perfect retreat, a place to visit when one needed to let their thoughts flow freely, just like water the water itself, bubbling up from the bottom of a spring.

Orion needed it tonight more than any other night. He was struck with an unbeatable case of insomnia, something he had never encountered before. For the past several days, he had actually spent his time doing little else _but_ sleeping, but for some reason, the gentle clutches of sleep had suddenly abandoned him. It troubled him deeply. He had been using sleep as a means of escape.

The depression that had taken hold of him since he had left Team Rocket had not lifted– in fact, it had only worsened. Despite his forced smiles and assurances that he was perfectly content, an undeniable emptiness had opened within him, and it seemed to be growing larger and larger everyday like a chasm that threatened to swallow him whole. He tried not to dwell on the negative things, he tried as hard as he could to see the positive, but he failed again and again. He tried to admire and appreciate everything that was around him, like the beauty of Mount Queyna, and sometimes, it _was_ enough to distract him. He would sit for hours by the spring, spend an entire day wandering the mountain's caves, look at the stars and seek out every constellation he knew, but every time, he would eventually have to face the truth that he was miserable.

Mew knew that something was amiss and had been trying to help Orion since his arrival. Orion realized and appreciated what she was trying to do, but her concern wasn't enough to fix things. At first she had managed to cheer Orion somewhat, but when Mewtwo and Nova had become mates, it had sparked something terrible in Orion.

Orion thought that maybe it was jealousy. And to some extent, it was; he was deeply envious toward their happiness, how they could be blissful all day simply because they had each other. But more than that, it reminded Orion of how he had used to feel for Chaos, how she had felt for him . . . How none of that was his anymore.

And there was more than that. Mewtwo and Nova, at least, seemed to have a purpose in life: each other. Orion, however, had nothing. As a Rocket, he had had a job, responsibilities, things to do, people to please, something that made him feel necessary and needed. But living on Mount Queyna had reduced him to something of a ghost. Mewtwo and Nova spent all their time together, hidden away, and Mew spent all her time flitting around carelessly, leaving Orion to wander the mountain, alone, as nothing more than a mere wisp of existence. For that was what his life had become— no longer a true life, but a mere state of existing.

Sleep had been a way to escape that. When he slept he could dream, and his dreams had always pleased him. But now, tonight, he was deprived of even that and no longer had anything to keep him company but the cold confines of his own mind.

Orion peered into the glassy surface of the healing spring as if it might have the answers, as if it might comfort and sympathize with him. Instead, it only functioned as a mirror, reflecting the dark, abysmal reaches of the heavens, an image which, Orion thought, aptly summed up his own dreary feelings.

I can't stay here any longer, he thought. I– I need to get away from this mountain. I need to. I can't sleep here, I can't think here, I can barely _feel_ here. _I need out._

The thought resonated loudly within Orion's head. It throbbed and pulsed between his temples incessantly, louder than even the heartbeat in his ears. His throat tightened with a sudden desperation, a frustration, and he felt that if didn't move, he would begin to scream, or weep, or both.

Before either could happen, his agony manifested into an action, and suddenly he wasn't touching the ground. He was in the air, flying, flying as fast as he could away from Mount Queyna, away from the emotional prison that he had built himself. He didn't know where he was going, or whether he was ever coming back. It didn't matter to him. He simply pressed on into the wind, a blue aura enveloping him and trailing behind him. He was moving, he had a direction, and it felt good.

Orion's flight through sky, however, did not unnoticed. Far way from him, on the opposite side of the mountain, a pink pokémon was lying on a soft patch of grass, wide-awake and star-gazing. When a blue streak suddenly entered her field of vision, her first assumption was that it was simply a meteor. But when the blue light continued its journey through the night sky instead of vanishing, she came to the realization that this was no cosmic phenomenon.

Mew quickly wondered who would be flying so quickly from Mount Queyna, almost as if they were fleeing something. It didn't make sense for it to be either Nova or Mewtwo, who were usually content in lounging about in Mewtwo's personal chamber. And the only other person on the mountain was Orion.

But what is he doing? Mew wondered. It's certainly an odd time for him to be flying off like that... and at such a fierce speed. Curious...

Mew watched him for several more moments. As he became a smaller and smaller speck in the distance, Mew came to the decision that something wasn't right. Even though Orion had been consistently moody for weeks, this still wasn't normal behaviour. She would have to follow him, she decided, in case something really was wrong. It wasn't as if she could do any harm; even if Orion didn't want to see her whatsoever, he wouldn't brush her off rudely as Mewtwo would.

Without further consideration, Mew lifted herself into the air and took chase after Orion. She, too, became an electric blue streak in the heavens, and in moments, she was little more than a speck on the horizon.

* * *

Insomnia had taken more than one victim on Mount Queyna that night.

Mewtwo wasn't sleeping either, and he could hardly fathom why. His chamber was dark, pleasantly cool, and beside him Nova was sleeping, her warm body a delightful comfort against his. Everything was perfect, yet for some reason, there was no stop to his tossing and turning, no end to the vague sense of unease that had been growing within him all night. His skin was slick with cold sweat, as if he had just escaped a terrible nightmare though, in reality, he had dreamt nothing at all.

Unable to even keep his eyes closed, Mewtwo abruptly sat up from his position on the floor. Wearily, he raised a hand to his brow to wipe way the sweat that had gathered there. At his side, Nova growled and begin to stir in her sleep, obviously bothered by Mewtwo's movements. She turned so that she faced him before her eyes finally cracked open.

"Mewtwo, what are you doing?" she muttered, frowning. "You haven't stopped moving around all night. Have you slept at all?"

Mewtwo rubbed his face, his breath coming out as a shallow, ragged sigh. "I— I can't sleep," he murmured. "Something's wrong." His stomach felt ill as he spoke, and his muscles were tense with an inexplicable feeling of worry.

"What do you mean, 'something's wrong'?" Nova asked, propping herself up on her elbows.

Mewtwo searched for words. They failed to come. "I— I don't know. I can't explain it. Something... Something's wrong."

Nova raised an eyebrow. "I'm not following you, Mewtwo."

Mewtwo groaned and put his head in his hands. "I don't know what it is, Nova. Something just doesn't feel right... Something's very wrong... Can't you sense it, Nova? It's like someone is here who shouldn't be... You can't feel it?"

Nova laughed, as if not entirely sure what else to do. "Mewtwo, are you familiar with the term 'insane'?"

Mewtwo glared at her. He was in no mood for her sarcasm. "I'm serious, Nova. Something's wrong."

"You're being paranoid," sighed Nova. "Look— just lie down with me. Stop worrying about whatever it is you're worried about and sleep. Please. You're really weird tonight."

Mewtwo looked away from her. He stared intently into the shadows of the room, almost as if expecting to see someone there. Several moments passed in complete silence. Mewtwo's gaze was lost in the shadows, and Nova could do little but stare at Mewtwo, wondering whether or not her mate had completely lost it.

"I want to check the surveillance screen," Mewtwo said finally.

Nova rolled her eyes, completely exasperated. "No. You checked it already. You check it _every _night, and there's never anything there. You're being completely paranoid, Mewtwo."

"No, I really—"

"_No,_" said Nova in firm protest. She reached for Mewtwo's arm and pulled him back to the ground. "Please... Just go to sleep, Mewtwo, you—"

Mewtwo tried to pull away, but Nova wouldn't let go. "No, you don't understand! I have to— "

"No!"

Mewtwo froze under Nova's gaze. Her eyes were wide and brimming with worry. Now _she _was upset, and Mewtwo had no one to blame for it but himself. _Was _he being paranoid? He couldn't shake the feeling that something was desperately wrong... but was it simply the result of a restless imagination?

"Please, Mewtwo," Nova pleaded. "I don't know why you're acting so strangely tonight, but it's really starting to worry me. You haven't slept all night— are you feeling well?"

"Yes... I'm— I'm fine, Nova," he lied. "I'll stop. I'm sorry."

Nova nodded gratefully, satisfied with Mewtwo's answer. She curled her arms around one of his. "Thank you," she murmured.

Mewtwo reluctantly lay down beside her. His feeling of unease hadn't left him; he still felt as if he were going to be sick, as if something was about to lunge out at him from the darkness and attack. Nothing did, but still his worry remained. He tried to close his eyes, tried to force himself into sleep, but he was too anxious to even consider sleeping. He was unable to stop himself from casting a longing stare at the surveillance screen across the room.

No, stop it, he told himself. You're being paranoid. Nothing's wrong. Don't even think about checking the surveillance.

Against his instincts, Mewtwo finally shut his eyes and silently prayed for sleep to come and wash away his thoughts.

* * *

Though on the outside Mount Queyna appeared to be little more than a mountain of solid rock, Chaos and Domino had quickly discovered that there was considerably more hidden underneath its stony facade than was let on. The entire mountain was a honeycomb of caves and tunnels, all of which were connected to each other via streams, waterfalls, and smaller tunnels. There seemed to be no end to the vast latticework of caves, for Chaos and Domino had been wandering around for what had felt like the entire night.

Chaos was beginning to lose patience. "Are we any closer, Domino?"

Domino walked ahead of Chaos, map in hand. As she was the only one of them who had previously been to Mount Queyna, it made sense for her to lead the way. "Yes, I believe so," she replied, shining a flashlight onto the map.

"Where did you manage to find a map of this place, anyway?" asked Chaos. "I thought this place was completely unexplored."

"Giovanni had planned to make a laboratory here at one time," explained Domino. "He ordered to have the entire mountain surveyed and recorded, for whatever reason. Probably had some scheme of building a grand scientific complex, I imagine."

Chaos simply nodded. She didn't want to delve further into the subject, for fear of having the topic turn to Giovanni. She couldn't think of him right now— it would only distract her, and the task at hand required focus. She breathed deeply, purging her mind of any unnecessary thoughts. She forced herself to concentrate on nothing but her surroundings, on the darkness around her, on the sound of running water in the distance.

Once she felt that her composure was sufficiently steadied, she continued walking. The cave walls glided past her as she and Domino moved toward their destination, but still it seemed to Chaos that they were making little progress. She was growing increasingly bored with her gloomy surroundings.

"What a dismal place to live in," Chaos muttered, kicking a stone across the cave floor as she walked past.

"It's not all like this," replied Domino. "The surface is quite different— down here it's nothing but caves, streams and maybe the occasional hot spring. The top of the mountain, though... Wait until you see the lake. And the island in the middle. I can see why Mewtwo would come here." Domino then paused suddenly. Her footsteps halted, and Chaos stopped behind her.

"What?" Chaos exclaimed, her voice taut with impatience.

"We're beneath the island right now, if the map is right," said Domino quietly. She looked up, her eyes meeting Chaos's. "We're almost there."

Chaos felt her breath catch in her throat. She was almost there. She was almost within reach of the Mewtwos, within reach of _Nova_... The mere thought of it made her chest swell with irrepressible excitement— Nova would be hers. At last, she could be killed, and Giovanni finally avenged. Images of Nova, dead and bloodied, danced temptingly in front of Chaos's eyes. Soon she would be able to realize such visions.

Domino continued to lead the way. They moved through more stretches of tunnel, turned several more corners, and scaled a few more stone-hewn staircases, Chaos's heart pounding a furious tattoo against her rib-cage as they went. Finally, the tunnel that they had been travelling through opened into a large, high-ceilinged chamber. On the opposite side was a large opening at least ten metres tall, through which Chaos could see not only the full moon suspended outside, but also the vast lake and the very rim of the mountain's summit.

Chaos blinked, surprised by such beauty after having spent so long navigating through cold, dark caverns. Domino, however, was not quite as awed.

"We're close," she said simply. "Very close. I can recognize this place even without the map."

Chaos turned to Domino, drawn back into the reality of the situation. "Oh?"

Domino folded the map and tucked it away. She pointed into the cave's shadows, to a staircase that Chaos hadn't even noticed . Close to it was a separate staircase that led in a different direction. "That staircase leads to Mewtwo's chamber— or at least it used to," said Domino. "And we can only assume that he, and possibly the others, are there. If not, we'll go to Plan B and have the Dark pokémon help us search the mountain for them. We win either way."

"And the other staircase— where does that lead?"

"The healing spring."

Chaos nodded, hardly interested; the spring was of little importance. "Right. We'll worry about that later. But for now," Chaos's expression darkened, and her tongue ran across her lips in anticipation, "we have bigger things to worry about."

Domino nodded, understanding what Chaos was implying. They exchanged a knowing glance before they both slung their backpacks to the ground. They opened them and withdrew a couple poké-balls each, each containing the dark pokémon they would need to subdue the Mewtwos. These would be their weapons. Nothing could defeat psychics better than dark-types; not even bullets or explosives could compare.

Domino and Chaos stood up again, picking up their backpacks and slinging them once again over their shoulders. They advanced toward the stairs swiftly and quietly. Chaos could feel her blood pulsing fiercely through her veins, her muscles taut and ready to spring into action at the slightest provocation.

Her mind was a stirring, urgent frenzy. Almost there, she thought.

Almost. _Almost . . ._

She and Domino flew up the staircase in complete silence, as if they had simply melted into the darkness and had become a very part of the shadows. They were careful to run with light footfalls— they couldn't be heard, not now, not when they had come so close. . .

Suddenly, Chaos felt her feet touch level ground— the staircase had ended. Before her lay a large cave that had been fashioned into a rather elegant chamber. The ceiling was high and carved into an intricate dome; tall, slit-like windows allowed thin slants of moonlight to illuminate the cavern; and large slabs of stone were scattered about in a manner suggesting that they were furniture. It was more than Chaos had expected.

But the architecture of the room was of little interest to Chaos, for something much more important had drawn her attention. Within moments of stepping into the chamber, her eyes had immediately fallen on the prize that had lured her there. For there, just before her, was the source of the hatred and anger that she had fostered for months, the entire reason this operation had been planned. . . There, more real than ever, was Nova.

Chaos took a moment to simply stand where she was and absorb the image of her blissfully unaware nemesis. Chaos couldn't help but smirk. In a pool of moonlight, there was Nova, peacefully asleep and curled up to the figure of someone else— Mewtwo, if Chaos wasn't mistaken. They were holding each other so tenderly, almost as if protecting one another from the fate that stood before them. But there was no possibility that they knew what was about to happen— sleep had robbed them of their defences. They were completely helpless. It was more beautiful and satisfying than anything Chaos could have imagined.

They almost look sweet, Chaos thought to herself, grinning widely. Oh, it's simply too bad that you had to go and kill Giovanni, Nova.

Silently, the dark Mewtwo stepped forward, readying the poké-balls she held in her hands. Domino followed behind her, she, too, preparing herself to open the poké-balls she held in her own hands. Chaos and Domino exchanged one last look, a long _this is it_ glance. Chaos held her breath, felt her hands clenching. Finally, she opened her poké-balls, and Domino followed suit.

From the poké-balls sprang four jagged streams of light, each of which solidified into a towering green mass of flesh and stone. The four tyranitar didn't need to be ordered into action; they immediately recognized their hapless prey on the floor and began lumbering towards them, snarling as they went. Chaos smiled at the sight.

The sound of four approaching tyranitar, however, was too loud to simply be ignored, and Mewtwo and Nova began to stir. It was Mewtwo who managed to open his eyes first, but before he even had the time to be terrified, two of the tyranitar snatched him by the arms and hoisted him into the air, where he was left to kick and thrash uselessly between his assailants. Nova was treated similarly, though she had more time to assess the situation and responded by screaming as loudly as her lungs would allow. Both Mewtwos instinctively unleashed as many psychic blasts as they could muster, too frightened and disoriented to realize that they were only wasting their energy.

Greatly amused by the situation, Chaos laughed; the sound was cold and unfeeling. Mewtwo and Nova turned their heads in surprise, having not even realized she was there.

"There's no use fighting," she said flatly. "There's not much either of you can do against four tyranitar. And in a second or so, you won't even realize that they're there! Tyranitar, knock them unconscious!"

The tyranitar were quick to comply. Two of them pulled a fist back, and with a dangerous amount of force, their clenched hands sprung forward and connected loudly with the skulls of Mewtwo and Nova. The two Mewtwos succumbed instantly to unconsciousness— there was no avoiding it after enduring an assault like that from a tyranitar. They hung limply in the arms of their reptilian captors, unmoving and defeated.

Chaos didn't stop to admire her handiwork– there was still more to be done. She quickly returned her poké-balls to her backpack and withdrew two of the psychic inhibitors and a remote control in their place. She swiftly motioned for the tyranitar to lower the Mewtwos slightly, and she quickly snapped the silver collars around their necks. Once they were in place, she pressed a few buttons on the control.

"There," she murmured. "The inhibitors are on their highest setting. Those two won't even be able to speak when they wake up."

Domino nodded. She stared at the incapacitated pokémon hanging in the arms of the tyranitar, a slight grimace pulling at the corners of her lips. "So..." she said. "Are you... are you going to kill her?"

"What?" said Chaos, turning to her. "Now? Of course not. I'm not killing her here, in this perfect, idyllic paradise while she sleeps. That's far too merciful. Oh no," her expression suddenly darkened as a smirk surfaced to her lips, "I want her back in Viridian City, where she killed Giovanni. I want her to die there, scared and alone, and completely awake."

"... I see."

Chaos could sense the unease in Domino's voice— it was clear that the Rocket didn't entirely approve of Chaos's plan— but Chaos was hardly bothered. "Well, I suppose I should see if I can find Orion... and possibly Mew," she said, straightening her backpack. "I don't expect either of them will put up much of a fight, if they're even here, but I still don't think it's a safe idea to have them running around."

Domino nodded. "Of course."

"You watch these two," ordered Chaos, pointing to Nova and Mewtwo. "And radio the Rockets to tell them that they're needed now."

"Yes, boss."

Satisfied, Chaos turned around, ready to leave the chamber and embark on her next task. But just as she was about to leave, she turned her head to see Nova and Mewtwo so she could once again gaze upon their still, defeated figures. A feeling of satisfaction swelled within Chaos at the sight of them, washing over her mind and senses. Suddenly, she felt lost in the joy of her triumph , and everything around her seemed to disappear. Suddenly she was somewhere else, somewhere far away from Mount Queyna, back in Viridian City. She was in her office, hidden in shafts of shadow and moonlight, glaring, sneering at Nova. Nova was on the floor, on her knees, trembling, crying, begging. There was blood— there was already a gunshot wound in her stomach, just below the chest, close to where Giovanni had been shot. Chaos stood over her, her round fingers wrapped around a gun, muttering something about Giovanni, about how much she missed him, how much it hurt without him, and suddenly she was pulling the trigger again—

"Chaos?"

Chaos turned. Her office melted away in an instant and she was faced with the darkness of Mewtwo's chamber instead. Domino had come to over to her, one eyebrow disappearing into her blonde bangs.

"Chaos?" she said again.

"What?" snapped Chaos, irritated for no reason other than having her daydream interrupted.

"You— you said you were going to find Orion, didn't you? And Mew?"

"Oh– yes." Chaos nodded, pulling herself back to reality. "Yes, of course. Orion and Mew."

Chaos finally tore her gaze away from the Mewtwos– she had indulged herself enough. She turned, walked towards the exit, and didn't stop once to look back again.

* * *

The sun was just beginning to break through the horizon when the Rockets began arriving on Mount Queyna. Domino watched them, the dozens of them, perhaps hundreds of them, as they landed their helicopters on the island's shore and filed out like ants, quick and dark and focussed on the task at hand. There was no hesitation– as soon as their feet hit the stony shore, they were marched off to the healing spring by higher ranking rockets, plastic water tanks in tow, so they could gather the product that they had come for. Domino's job was simply to supervise the operation and keep an eye on Mewtwo and Nova until Chaos returned.

Domino stood on an elevated part of the shore, high up on an bank of stone, where she had a good vantage point of the Rockets below. Behind her were the four tyranitar and, between them, their two unconscious captives.

There was little possibility of either of them causing any trouble, yet Domino felt herself repeatedly checking them from the corner of her eye all the same. They still hung limply in the arms of the tyranitar, like two broken marionettes who had been carelessly tossed away by their puppeteer. They posed no threat in their current state, unconscious, disarmed, and held back by reptilian monsters.

But Domino still felt uneasy being in the presence of two Mewtwos who had just been crossed. She knew what they were capable of. She knew what sort of damage these creatures had inflicted upon Team Rocket before– damage that Team Rocket was fully responsible for bringing upon itself. She had witnessed the original Mount Queyna fiasco, she had been around for Giovanni's murder, and she had a sickening suspicion that Chaos's latest plot was only going to be a repeat of history.

Domino narrowed her eyes as she watched the Rockets milling about below her. I almost want to tell them what Chaos is up to, she thought to herself. Just tell them what's going on so they can stop her, put her in her place, save her from being _killed_ by this ridiculous scheme. . .

But Domino only crossed her arms. She wouldn't speak. She had always been told that it wasn't her job to do the thinking; that was solely the Boss's responsibility, and she wasn't supposed to worry about it. So that's what she was going to do now. Whatever problems arose were Chaos's problems, and Domino silently vowed that she would be no help in cleaning up the mess when it happened. Because with Mewtwos, it wasn't a matter of _if _it happened; it was always a matter of _when._

Her eyes shifted again to the Mewtwos behind her. She was relieved to see that they were still unconscious. The tyranitar however, shifted incessantly. They scraped the dirt with their feet and snorted with impatience, obviously unused to having to stand around like obedient dogs. They were better suited to destroying things than standing guard.

Domino's attention was suddenly taken away from the tyranitar, however, when a bright light flashed beside her. She looked over to see that Chaos had just teleported at her side. Domino was quick to notice that she was scowling, and, more conspicuously, had appeared alone.

Domino raised an eyebrow. "Where are Orion and Mew?"

Chaos glared at her, as if she had committed some horrible act of rudeness. "I haven't a damn clue," she muttered. "I couldn't find a sign of them anywhere. I had a whole troupe of dark pokémon searching the mountain with me, but we came up with nothing. They must not live here anymore, if they ever did."

"So, we're just going to hope that they don't show up suddenly and completely destroy our operation here?" said Domino coolly.

Chaos's eyes remained narrowed upon Domino, silently chastising the Rocket for her boldness. The Mewtwo hissed in a low voice, "You know very well that our 'operation' here is only a cover-up for getting _her."_ Chaos pointed at Nova. "She's the only one I really wanted. To hell with Orion."

"Didn't you promise Dr. Sebastian that you'd bring back _two_ live Mewtwos for him to study? He's not going to be impressed if you only bring Mewtwo back."

"Domino, he's lucky he's getting anything!" Chaos snapped. "_I'm _the Boss, in case you've forgotten, and every one who works for Team Rocket is expected to follow my commands no matter—"

Chaos stiffened suddenly, her sentence coming to an abrupt halt. Her eyes, which had been tied to Domino's by the thread of a heated glare, suddenly widened, and focussed upon something just behind the Rocket.

"Boss?" said Domino.

Chaos's lips twitched into a subtle grin. "He's awake."

Even before Domino turned around to see what had captured Chaos's attention, she had a suspicion as to who "he" was. When she saw what was behind her, she was not disappointed.

It was as she expected – Mewtwo was stirring. Dangling in the grip of his two tyranitar captors, Mewtwo began to rouse from unconsciousness. His eyes blearily opened to the width of a small crack, only to have his large, black pupils reduced to a slit by the early morning light. He blinked, once, twice, before the haze of sleep released its grip on him. It was then that he realized what was before him.

"Hello, Mewtwo," said Chaos in her most diplomatic tone, as if she were talking to a good friend.

Mewtwo only looked at her. He stared at her for several moments before his eyes suddenly widened, as if something had sent him into a panic. He glanced about nervously, turned his head abruptly, and looked much like a confused and feral animal.

"Oh, right, I _forgot_," said Chaos, stepping toward him. "Your inhibitor's set so high that you can't use telepathy anymore. My, that must be unfortunate, not being able to communicate!"

The expression that flashed across Mewtwo's face at that point was almost unreadable– it was a tortured blend of fear and puzzlement and sudden rage. He began to thrash almost at once, but as he was held suspended by his arms, there was little he could do. He twisted and struggled, kicked, whipped the air with his tail, but could do nothing. The tyranitar, annoyed with their prisoner's struggle, snarled and sank their claws into the flesh of Mewtwo's upper arms. Mewtwo let out an audible cry of pain before he slackened in their grip, his feet left to dangle once again inches off the ground.

Chaos smiled and shook her head. She stepped closer to him once more until their faces were but a breath apart, and focussed her words so that only he could hear her. "Listen, Mewtwo, there's no use panicking," she said bluntly. "You're at a complete disadvantage at the moment, in case you haven't noticed. I am in complete control of your powers right now, and I guarantee you, the less of a struggle you make, the easier I'll be on you." Chaos then paused and pulled her head back a bit, as if admiring Mewtwo. She studied him for a moment, smiled, and then leaned toward him until she knew he'd be uncomfortable. "You know, I'm sorry you had to get involved in this, Mewtwo. A fine, handsome specimen like yourself... such a shame." She stroked Mewtwo's cheek, and laughed when he flinched. "But . . . you just _had_ to go and get yourself involved with a despicable wretch like Nova. I thought you were so much smarter than that. . ."

Mewtwo looked at her. Chaos stared back at him evenly, reading what he was trying to say. In his widened eyes she saw desperation, confusion; he was imploring for her to tell him what was going on, and more importantly, why.

Chaos sighed. "Oh, wonder all you want, Mewtwo," she said. "I'm not telling you what's going on, what's happening to you and your little mountain home. You would only panic. And we can't have that, can we? These tyranitar friends of yours might get annoyed with you. Or you might have to be sedated until we get to Viridian City."

The words "Viridian City" seemed to be enough to send Mewtwo into another frenzy— clearly the idea of being removed from Mount Queyna by force to be taken to his least favourite place in the world didn't sit well with him. He began to thrash once again, managing to twist himself in a way so that he managed to kick one of the tyranitar in the stomach, and hit the other in the chest with his tail. The tyranitar roared at the assault, and one, in its rage, grabbed Mewtwo by the neck. Choking and sputtering, Mewtwo was left dangling in the air, his hands clawing at the tyranitar's fist in a desperate bid for release. The tyranitar merely growled.

Chaos, in turn, laughed deeply, greatly amused by the display. Only Domino's voice brought her out of her fit of unabashed glee.

"Is it really necessary to toy with him?" she asked.

Chaos rolled her eyes. "Who's side are you on, Domino?"

Domino glared. "Yours, obviously, but this isn't necessary. He's a dangerous pokémon, Chaos. I don't think it's wise to provoke him."

"Are you _blind_? Don't you see the inhibitor collar around his neck? He's powerless!"

"You haven't seen what he's capable of."

"I _know _what he's capable of, Domino. I'm probably stronger than him myself!"

"But how can you be sure?" Domino's voice was fiercely cutting now; the level of challenge in her voice was dangerous.

Chaos glared, but decided that Domino's impudence was, for the moment, not really worth punishing. "Fine, 009, I'll stop tormenting the poor creature," she said in mock apology. "Tyranitar, release your hold on him."

The tyranitar complied. It set Mewtwo on the ground and released his neck, but made sure to hold him back by both his arms. Mewtwo immediately slumped forward and gasped for breath, his neck a raw pink from where the tyranitar had strangled him.

"Well, I think it's about time I head back to Viridian City," said Chaos. "And I'll bring these dangerous Mewtwos with me."

"And me, Boss?" asked Domino.

"You'll stay here. Someone needs to supervise the rest of the Rockets."

Once Domino had nodded in agreement, Chaos turned once again to the four tyranitar. "We're heading to my helicopter," she told them. "I need you to carry these two there."

The tyranitar nodded and growled in understanding. Two of them proceeded to hoist Mewtwo into the air again, while the other two merely continued to hold up Nova's unconscious figure. Chaos began to lead the pokémon away, toward the Rocket agents and helicopters that had assembled on the beach.

In the corner of her eye, Chaos could see Mewtwo glancing repeatedly at Nova, who was still limp and unmoving. Chaos grinned.

"She's not dead, Mewtwo, so stop worrying," she told him. "She's perfectly fine."

Mewtwo paid no attention to Chaos; his eyes refused to leave Nova for a moment. He continued to stare at her, his brow furrowed in confusion, his eyes wide. Chaos observed Mewtwo for several more moments before realizing that it wasn't Nova that he was looking at, but the metal collar around her neck.

"Oh, I see you've finally noticed the psychic inhibitor collar," said Chaos. "Truly a remarkable invention. You'll have to thank Dr. Sebastian for coming up with it. And I'm sure you'll get the chance once we arrive in Viridian City— you'll be seeing _plenty _of him."

Mewtwo's face took on a heated expression— his eyes shrank to mere slits and his teeth suddenly became exposed in a silent snarl. Chaos nearly laughed at the sight of it. Anyone else would have been intimidated by Mewtwo's display, taken aback by his raw anger. Chaos, however, realized that that was precisely what it was— a display. Mewtwo was powerless to do anything to her. Completely helpless.

In the past, Mewtwo had once been given the title of "the most powerful pokémon in the world," but now, he was completely vulnerable, defenceless, effectively useless without his powers. He had once been touted as a triumph of science, a weapon more destructive than anything else man had ever created, and yet, suddenly, he was nothing more than a mere creature at the mercy of a criminal.

This all occurred to Chaos as she gingerly walked along, leading her tyranitar servants to her helicopter. She had never felt quite so powerful, or so ruthless— it was if the entire world was at her feet. She couldn't help but indulge herself with a smug grin— at the moment, she was the most powerful pokémon in the world.

Nova was as good as dead.

* * *

End of Chapter XVI 


	17. Scientific Discovery

Author's Note: My sincerest apologies for the wait. I didn't mean to take a thousand years to update, but my crazy, graduating year coupled with my waning interest in this story didn't bode well for its future… I'm back on track though, and am determined to finish what I've started. Thank you dearly to everyone who has spurred me to keep going.

**Last Chapter**: Orion, still sulking and being all emo, fled from Mount Queyna with Mew in hot pursuit. Meanwhile, Chaos, Domino, and the rest of Team Rocket arrived on Mount Queyna and captured Nova and Mewtwo with plans to bring to them back to Viridian City. And kill Nova. Because Chaos is mean like that.

* * *

Shadows Like You

Chapter XVII _Scientific Discovery  
_

By: Cosmic Mewtwo

* * *

Mew followed Orion silently as he sped across the night sky. She found that it was almost a challenge for her to keep up with him; he was moving so quickly through the night that he became little but a glowing, blue dart slicing through the smooth, dark fabric of the sky. It became more and more obvious to Mew that Orion was beyond distraught. It was if he were running from something, as if something on Mount Queyna had caused some great harm to him; Mew, however, could guess that Mount Queyna had little do with it.

Orion continued on, seemingly unaware of everything. He seemed to take no notice to how far he had flown, or how much time had passed, or how the stars glittered so brilliantly in the sky, like soft torches lighting the way of his journey toward the horizon. As she followed him, Mew kept throwing glances over her shoulder, watching as Mount Queyna turned into a mere hill on the horizon, then a bump, then a speck, until it finally vanished completely.

Then, suddenly, Orion began to slow down, and started his descent. He finally landed–or collapsed, as Mew saw it–onto a wide plain of long grass, outlined by soft hills and groves of trees. As Orion picked himself off the ground, struggling and half-stumbling as he did, Mew descended from the air and landed behind him quietly.

Despite his condition, Orion immediately sensed Mew's presence and turned around. Mew was surprised by what she saw. Orion's eyes were wide and tired with anguish, his lips were drawn back into a grimace, and his chest heaved with exhaustion.

Breathlessly, Orion spoke to her, his voice a blend of surprise and anger. "Mew? Why? Why are you here?"

"I saw you leaving Mount Queyna," said Mew calmly, choosing her words carefully. She had sent Mewtwo into too many blind rages before, and didn't want to see it happen to Orion, too. "You looked unhappy . . . I thought that you could use my company."

"You followed me all the way here?" Orion asked, his eyes wide, his tone bordering on hysterical. "I— Mew— I just— How could you _think _that I needed your company? Do you think I would have flown this far if I didn't just want to be _alone?__"_

Mew knew better than to react to Orion's anger. Her calm composure refused to waver. "I was worried," she told him. "I didn't know where you were going, or what you were trying to do. I needed to make sure you were safe."

Orion glared. It wasn't an expression that Mew was used to seeing on him. Mew had always seen Orion as the gentlest Mewtwo, the one who never lost his temper, the one whose temperance and demeanour had seemed so much more like that of a Mew than the other three. But here, now, underneath the silver glare of the moon, Orion glowered down at Mew, his fists curled, his eyebrows narrowed, his red eyes suddenly threatening.

"Well, now you see that I'm safe," he said, his voice unusually harsh. "And I would appreciate it if you just left."

Mew, however, merely blinked at him. "Or, a better idea, perhaps, would be to talk about what's bothering you, rather then withdraw into yourself like you've been doing since you arrived."

Orion's eyes widened, his annoyance evolving quickly into fury. "I don't want to talk!" he spat. "I came here to be alone! I don't want to see anyone else!"

Mew let herself hover to the ground, and sat among the soft blades of grass, her tail flitting behind her. She sat there for several silent moments, looking up at Orion almost in defiance. It was a firm gesture, one she hoped would tell Orion that she had no intention of leaving until she could help him. And even if she couldn't help, she could at least listen.

Orion could see that's what she meant, and suddenly, his anger left him completely. His face softened and his entire body seemed to release his rage and weaken, until suddenly his legs trembled and he stumbled to the ground. He crouched there, silently, his hands spread out beneath him, his fingers curling around the grass until his knuckles whitened.

"Come, Orion," Mew whispered. She stepped toward his crouched figure, placing a tentative paw on his hand. "Come back to Mount Queyna. There's no sense being out here, in the middle of nowhere.

Orion looked up, his eyes shining more than they had been a moment before. "I don't want to," he said in a low, hoarse whisper. "I don't want to go back there."

Mew's eyebrows furrowed. "Why not?"

Orion grimaced. "Mew, what is the _point _of Mount Queyna? There's . . . there's nothing for me there. I mean, yes, it was lovely for the first few days– it was like a beautiful vacation– but after the weeks stretched on and on . . . I wanted to leave. I wanted to go back to Viridian City. I had a life there. I had a job– I was needed. And Chaos. . ." Orion paused. He blinked away the shine in his eyes and swallowed hard. "I don't belong here, Mew. I can understand why Nova and Mewtwo don't pay much attention to me, and I'm happy for them, but it doesn't make it any better. The longer I stay here, the more pointless my life seems. . . I feel like I'm fading away."

"I understand," said Mew.

Orion rubbed his eyes with his palms and sighed. He was silent for several moments, the night air heavy around them, quiet, almost soothing. Finally, he uncovered his face, his expression softened, and he spoke. "Mew. . . I want to go back to Viridian City."

"Then maybe you should."

Orion opened his mouth, then paused. He stared at Mew, obviously surprised by her reply. "What?"

"Well, if you're miserable here, then why stay?" said Mew with a shrug. "If you think you'd be happier there, then perhaps it's where you should be. It's obvious what will happen if you stay, isn't it? You'll only become more and more sad and withdrawn until eventually you _will _leave, no matter what anyone tells you. But why waste time and wait for that to happen?"

"W-well, you're right," murmured Orion, rubbing a temple with his rounded fingertips. "I. . . I just didn't think you of all people would support the idea. I can't imagine you approve of Team Rocket."

Mew smiled sadly. "I don't. And I don't think you do, either."

"What?" said Orion, once again caught by surprise. "Well, no, I won't pretend that what they do is right, but–"

"–It's the only place that's ever been a home to you," finished Mew. Orion looked slightly annoyed at having been interrupted, but knew that Mew was right, so he sheepishly looked away. "I understand," Mew continued. "It's all right. If you want to go back, then go back. No one can really stop you."

Orion didn't answer. There was no real need to– Mew was quite able at speaking other's minds, as she had just done. He remained silent for a some time, until finally, he pulled himself to his feet and looked in the direction of the horizon.

"Well, then, I guess I'll leave," he said quietly.

Mew nodded in agreement, but something in her eyes had changed. They were almost sad– disappointed, perhaps. "If you feel it's right," she whispered.

Orion could easily sense that something wasn't entirely right with Mew. "You aren't going to miss me, are you?"

Mew laughed. It was a light, tinkling sound that cheered Orion to the core "Oh, don't worry about me,"she said, smiling. "I do enjoy your company, but I can manage quite well here. I'm never really lonely."

Orion smiled. "I suppose so," he said, before turning away to face the direction of Mount Queyna. "Well, perhaps we should head back to Mount Queyna. I'll stay for one more night, say goodbye to Mewtwo and Nova, and leave in the morning, I think."

Mew floated up into the air and gave Orion a pat on the shoulder. "Yes, a good plan."

They each exchanged one last glance, a glance of sadness and understanding, before they were both enveloped in sudden flash of white light. The next moment they were gone, having teleported home, the grass waving gently in the breeze where they had just stood.

* * *

When Nova finally roused from her unconsciousness, she was aware of nothing but darkness and the comforting warmth of Mewtwo's arms. For a moment she thought that she was resting in the security of Mewtwo's chamber– she felt so warm and safe that it was hard to believe otherwise. But for some reason, her mind was clouded and uneasy, and she found herself desperately grabbing for a memory that just seemed beyond her grasp. It was only when she opened her eyes and saw the wall of bars across from her that she realized what was happening.

_Chaos._

The memory of the previous night's events crashed into Nova like a rushing wave. Chaos had come to Mount Queyna– _she had had the nerve to come Mount Queyna_– and she had attacked Mewtwo and Nova with Tyranitar. She had somehow found her way into Mewtwo's chamber and attacked them, and captured them, apparently, because now Nova found herself in a cold, dark cell. But where was this cell? Was it in Viridian City? In the Team Rocket Headquarters? And what about Orion and Mew? Had Chaos captured them, too?

Nova pulled herself up slightly, and saw that she had been leaning against Mewtwo, whose arms were curled around her. Mewtwo was fully awake and staring away from her, at the metal bars that caged them. The expression on his face was almost unnerving– it was etched with a deep fury, a vindictive hatred. Nova had never seen Mewtwo so angry before.

"Mewtwo?" said Nova quietly, trying to get his attention. He didn't respond. "Mewtwo?" she said again, louder and clearer this time, but still, he didn't seem to have noticed that she had even spoken.

Nova frowned, and felt hurt and confusion blend with the fear that was already stirring within her. Mewtwo had to have heard her-- but why would he ignore her? Why would he pretend that she wasn't even there?

Suddenly feeling angry, Nova grabbed Mewtwo's shoulders and began to shake him. Finally, his head turned toward her abruptly, his eyes widening in surprise; he hadn't been aware that she was awake. The hateful anger that had dominated his face just a moment before vanished, to be replaced by a much softer expression. A weak smile spread across his lips as he looked down upon her, as if the sight of her face provided him with some sort of relief.

"Mewtwo …" she said gently, relieved to see that he wasn't ignoring her, as she had thought. "Mewtwo, what do we do? What's happened?"

Mewtwo blinked at her, but didn't answer. Nova stared at him for some time, but still no answer came. Perplexed by his refusal to speak, she tried to talk to him once more.

"Mewtwo? Mewtwo? Why aren't you talking to me? Why can't you speak?"

Nova began to shake him again, and it was at this point that Mewtwo realized how panicked she was. Gently, he grabbed her trembling hands to stop her from shaking him, and then touched something around his neck that Nova hadn't noticed before. It was a thick, metal collar, perfectly smooth and silver save for a couple small, blinking lights on its surface. Mewtwo tapped it with his finger, then tapped his temple, and shook his head.

Nova gasped once she understood the connection that Mewtwo was trying to explain. The collar, or whatever it was, was blocking his ability to communicate telepathically. He couldn't receive anything that Nova was trying to say. Quickly, Nova grabbed for her own neck, and felt sickness twist her stomach when her fingers grazed against something smooth and metallic. Neither of them had any means of communicating with each other, or with anyone else.

Anger surged through Nova, and she suddenly felt too furious to remain still. She pushed away from Mewtwo and stood up, a dizzying fury throwing her slightly off balance as she tried to step away. She staggered over to the bars of her cell and clenched them so tightly that her knuckles whitened, emitting a feral growl as she did. She attempted to release a psychic burst that she knew would blast the bars out of her way, but nothing happened. She tried again and again, but it was if something in her brain had been shut off— she felt no energy pulse through her mind as she focussed her powers, no familiar tingling in the ends of her nerves… nothing. She had been robbed of her psychic powers, reduced to nothing but a powerless pokemon—no, she was less than that still: she was barely more than human now without her powers to defend herself.

Gripping the bars tightly, Nova tried to shake them with every ounce of physical strength she had. But the bars were made of solid steel and refused to budge so much as a millimetre, no matter how hard she pulled and thrashed against them. Her lips drawing back into a snarl, Nova retreated from the bars. Her hands flew to her neck, instead, where she grabbed the metal collar and attempted to wrench it apart, but the metal could not be broken by brute, physical force. She continued to pull at it nonetheless, nearly strangling herself, until she suddenly felt Mewtwo place his hands on her shoulders. He spun her around to face him, and he stared down at her with a firm, wide-eyed look. Nova immediately saw the concern in his eyes, and her hands dropped from her neck and onto his chest. His arms wrapped around her body, and she bowed her head against his shoulder, eager for the comfort that his warm body offered.

They remained like this for several minutes, tightly entwined together as if it were the last time they would ever see each other again. Though they couldn't speak with each other, it didn't mean that they couldn't comfort one another; the feeling of Mewtwo's arms around Nova and the steady rhythm of his beating heart was just enough to lull Nova into a soothing, if temporary, feeling of security.

Then, suddenly, they pulled away from each other, hearing something. Footsteps. Someone was approaching the cell, and no matter how they craned their necks, Mewtwo and Nova could see little beyond their cell to whoever it was coming toward them. As the sound of their visitor came nearer and nearer, Mewtwo and Nova exchanged a long, firm glance. They would not panic; they had each other, and that was all that mattered for the moment.

Finally, the approaching visitor stepped before the cell, and Mewtwo and Nova realized that there were, in fact, two people there. One was Chaos, arms crossed over her chest, her black tail flicking excitedly behind her, and her lips curled into a satisfied smirk. The other was an unfamiliar man, at least to Mewtwo, who was dark-haired and steely-eyed behind a pair of square-rimmed glasses, with a pointed chin hidden by a goatee. Judging by his lab coat and by the small red 'R' stitched on his breast pocket, he was a Team Rocket scientist.

"Well, here they are, Sebastian," said Chaos casually, sweeping her hand toward the barred cell. "Nova, who you're familiar with, I'm sure, and Mewtwo, one of Team Rocket's more impressive creations."

The scientist, Doctor Sebastian, looked between Mewtwo and Nova quickly and then looked away, as if the sight of the two Mewtwos was hardly worth any interest. His eyes narrowed behind his glasses, and his gaze snapped over to Chaos instead.

"There are only two," he said flatly.

Chaos raised an eyebrow and unfolded her arms. "Yes? And?"

"You said there would be three. Where's Orion?"

"Oh, yes— him," said Chaos quickly, waving a hand dismissively. "We couldn't find him, unfortunately. I believe he must have left Mount Queyna. But it's no matter— surely one Mewtwo will be enough for your studies."

"One?" said Sebastian, bristling. "You promised me _two _Mewtwos for study in the labs— one will hardly suffice. What good is studying one if I don't have another with which to compare results? We're trying to build a database on the _species_, not a single individual. Besides, we already have considerable information about the original Mewtwo on record. As for the rest of you, there is very little, as Giovanni refused to let you spend any of your time in the lab."

"Well, Mewtwo will have to do!" snapped Chaos, clearly irritated that an inferior was disagreeing with her.

Nova couldn't believe what she was hearing— Chaos had planned to hand Mewtwo and Orion over as _lab-rats? _She couldn't believe that Chaos would show such an appalling lack of respect towards fellow members of her own species. She could understand if Chaos did it to _her—_Chaos hated Nova, after all—but the others? Orion? Hadn't she once had some sort of feeling for him? Could she have really turned so cold?

Mewtwo, as well, seemed to be just as disapproving as Nova. Nova could feel him tensing beside her, and his hands clenched the bars so tightly that it was a surprise they weren't bending from the stress. Nova had a feeling that if Mewtwo's telepathic voice wasn't being suppressed, he would be protesting very loudly and very angrily at the moment. And Nova understood why; Mewtwo knew what it was like to live and be studied in a lab. While Giovanni had granted Nova and her companions considerable freedom and independence, Mewtwo, on the other hand, had been forced to spend his early life within the confines of the laboratory, left to the mercy of cold, knowledge-greedy scientists. He knew exactly how demeaning the experience could be, and the idea that he was going to submitted for scientific study once again was enough to fill him with a violent rage.

Chaos and Sebastian, however, seemed to pay little attention to Mewtwo and Nova's reactions.

"Is it really necessary to kill Nova?" demanded Sebastian, and Nova felt her throat tighten painfully at the fate that had just been revealed to her. "It would be a terrible waste of a perfectly viable specimen to simply _kill_ her. Not to mention the time, and energy, and not to mention the _money_ that Team Rocket's scientists put into making her. Is that really worth wasting, Chaos? And besides, we have a disappointingly small amount of data on female Mewtwos— unless, of course, _you_ were planning on spending some time in the labs, madam?"

Chaos glared at the scientist. He knew, of course—in fact, they all knew—that Chaos would never lower herself to the level of a common Rattata, to be poked and prodded and experimented on, even if it _was_ in the noble name of science. She had far too much pride for that. Nonetheless, Sebastian's words seemed to have hit a nerve.

"I told you beforehand, Doctor Sebastian," said Chaos slowly and firmly, her teeth gritted, "that I had every intention of killing Nova as soon as I got the chance. If you'd like, you and your scientists can do whatever the hell you want with the body, but she dies _today_."

Though Chaos's tone made it clear that she would not argue the matter any further, Sebastian was unwilling to give up. When he spoke, his voice was perfectly calm, and even polite, but the furious glint in his eyes betrayed his frustration.

"If I didn't know any better, Chaos," he said lightly, "I would think that you were out to kill Nova for entirely _personal_ reasons, and that this entire expedition to Mount Queyna that you've planned and funded with _Team Rocket _money has all been a cover for your own personal vendetta. And while I'm sure that none of that could possibly be true, it would be unfortunate nonetheless if that's what someone told the _executives_, wouldn't it,Chaos?"

Chaos's eyes flew open wide at this, and her lips pulled back into a snarl, baring her teeth. "Oh, so blackmail is your game, is it, Sebastian?" she hissed. "Very well! We'll make a deal; you get Nova for _one week _to do whatever you wish, and as soon as that week is up, I get to murder her."

Sebastian offered Chaos a courteous nod and the slightest of grins. "Ah, yes. That sounds perfectly reasonable. It is a deal then."

Rather than shake hands with Sebastian or even acknowledge that their deal had been made, Chaos stared directly at Nova with a threatening glare.

"Did you hear that, Nova?" she barked. "You get one more week to enjoy your miserable little life. I can't imagine you'll have much fun in the labs, but you're in no position to complain."

Nova, unable to answer, merely glared back. She felt Mewtwo lay his hand upon her shoulder. Chaos, who noticed the simple act of affection that passed between them, rubbed her chin in thought.

"And because it's obvious that there's something going on between you two," she said, smirking slightly, "I don't think it's wise to leave you alone in a cell together. You'll only start to conspire with each other, and I can't risk an escape. And though I realize that neither of you can talk, I know that you're both deviously clever and, quite frankly, I just don't trust you. So … you two will have to spend your nights alone for the next week, imprisoned in separate cells."

Mewtwo slammed his fists against the metal bars of his cell, enraged by the thought of being separated from Nova. He attempted to voice his fury, but when he attempted to speak, all he could manage was a series of raw growls and distressed mewling.

Chaos laughed softly. "Mewtwo, don't embarrass yourself by trying to speak," she said, grinning. "You're forgetting that you're a pokémon, and that pokémon simply can't speak in any language understandable to humans."

Mewtwo closed his mouth at this, and chose to seethe in silence, glaring at Chaos as though staring at her angrily enough would cause her to burst suddenly into flames. Unfortunately, this was not the case, and Chaos remained unscathed and seemed to ignore Mewtwo entirely.

"Well, then, that said," she continued, sounding satisfied, "I suppose it would be a good idea to separate you two now."

Mewtwo and Nova exchanged a pained, wide-eyed look with one another. How could Chaos do this to them? What if they couldn't escape, and this was the last time they ever saw each other again? Neither of them could believe the unfairness of it, and how the short but blissful time that they had shared with one another was going to be cut short so cruelly. Realizing that there was simply nothing they could do and that they had no time to waste, they fell together in a tight embrace. Nova felt weak and dizzy in Mewtwo's arms, as if she were going to be sick, and Mewtwo's eyes were tightly closed, as if he were fighting away tears.

_Mewtwo, I love you, _Nova thought, desperately wishing that he could hear her. And, as if he _could _hear it somehow, Mewtwo held Nova even tighter against his chest, as if it might somehow bind them together. Nova gently held his face between her hands and they exchanged a brief but soft kiss, knowing it might be the last they would share.

Outside the cell, Chaos rolled her eyes and Sebastian looked deeply un-amused. Punching a code into a keypad beside the cell, Chaos opened the cell door and grabbed Nova by the shoulder.

"All right, that's enough," she snapped, dragging Nova out of the cell. Casting a look back at Mewtwo, who was advancing upon her, she added, "Don't even think of trying anything, Mewtwo. You're powerless, and if you try to attack me, I will gladly tear you apart."

Mewtwo, realizing that he was outmatched and suspecting that Doctor Sebastian was probably carrying pokémon of his own, stepped back. Chaos slammed the door shut behind her and glared at Nova.

"The same goes for you, Nova," she warned before holding out her hand to Sebastian, who rummaged in his coat pocket before producing a set of metal hand cuffs. Chaos quickly pulled Nova's hands behind her back, took the cuffs from Sebastian, and snapped them around Nova's wrists.

"Take her to one of the laboratory cages," she ordered Sebastian. "I think I'll head back to my office and work on a few things there, perhaps check and see how our operation at Mount Queyna is progressing."

Sebastian nodded and grabbed Nova by her handcuffs. "Certainly, madam."

Sebastian began to lead Nova away, and as he did, Nova looked behind her, staring at Mewtwo as she was dragged away. Their gazes remained locked together in a long, silent goodbye before, finally, Nova had to turn away, her lower lip trembling uncontrollably. It was too painful to watch Mewtwo become farther and farther away, and she didn't want him to see the tears forming in her eyes.

Once Nova had disappeared beyond his range of vision, Mewtwo felt himself slump against the cold wall of his cell, suddenly numb and unfeeling. Everything around him suddenly became detached and unreal to his senses; sounds seemed far away, light seemed to bend and blur, and the only feeling he was aware of was a painful, burning throb in his chest. He couldn't believe that Nova was being taken away from him, taken away to a lab, and then to be …no. He couldn't even complete the thought. Nova couldn't be killed

Chaos was about to turn and leave, but something about Mewtwo's appearance caught her attention. The way he leaned against the corner of his prison, his eyes wide and his expression utterly blank, was shocking. It was difficult to believe that the defeated creature before her was _the_ great Mewtwo.

Chaos was about to simply leave him behind and head for her office, but she reconsidered. Pausing in her step, she turned slowly towards the cell.

"Mewtwo," she said evenly, "I do apologize for involving you in this. This was meant to be solely between Nova and I, but … well, things are never that simple."

Mewtwo's expression quickly hardened, and because he couldn't answer, Chaos continued.

"It's unfortunate that you… had to fall in love with her," she said with a grimace, "and have become so dangerously intertwined in this whole situation, but that's simply the way things worked out, I'm afraid. And while I refuse to spare Nova, I'm willing to make a deal with you, Mewtwo." Chaos looked intently at Mewtwo before continuing. "If you behave yourself for the next week and co-operate completely with me and my scientists, then I will allow you to give a proper goodbye to Nova before I kill her. Sound fair?"

Mewtwo didn't answer.

"Very well then, it's a deal," Chaos said curtly, turning away from the cell. "I'll see you later, Mewtwo."

Chaos then walked away from the cell and quickly disappeared down the hallway from which she had come. Mewtwo watched her carefully as she left, his eyes darkening as his gaze followed behind her.

_No, Chaos, we _don't_ have a deal_, he thought darkly. _I don't need to say goodbye to Nova, because I'm going to find a way for both of us to escape._

* * *

When Mew and Orion teleported, they materialized in the sky just above Mount Queyna. Though the night seemed quiet and peaceful, with the first pink light of dawn edging slowly over the distant horizon, it wasn't long before they realized that, on Mount Queyna, something was seriously amiss.

They had just begun to glide toward the mountain, both eager to rest at the healing spring, when Orion came to a sudden halt. He grabbed Mew by the wrist, stopping her as well.

"Do you see that?" Orion gasped, pointing down at the mountain. "There's something— something moving down there!"

Mew looked to where he was pointing, and her eyes, too, had opened wide. "Oh no …" she whispered, shaking her head in disbelief. "Orion … those … those are humans."

Orion, however, had already arrived at that conclusion, and he was now trying to study the scene below in greater detail, struggling to suppress the raw panic that surged through his mind and body. There was no doubt that the hundreds of tiny, moving creatures crawling over the mountain were humans. And though it was still night-time and difficult to see in the darkness, Orion was sure that most of them were all clad in black. He could also make out several figures that were unmistakably helicopters, along with many other forms of machinery that Orion couldn't quite identify.

"It's Team Rocket," he said, unable to speak in anything louder than a stifled whisper. "What are they doing here? Where are Mewtwo and Nova— why aren't they doing something?"

Mew did not answer. Her eyes had closed, and she seemed to remain in deep thought for several long moments. When she finally opened her eyes, she looked to Orion, swallowing grimly.

"I can't sense them — Mewtwo and Nova — I can't sense their presence anywhere on the mountain," she said, her voice rushed with worry. "They … they're not here … either that, or they're …"

Orion and Mew exchanged a look of fearful understanding. There were only two ways to explain why Mewtwo and Nova's psychic energy was suddenly undetectable: either they were no longer on Mount Queyna, or—and Orion felt himself tremor at the thought of it— they were dead. Neither possibility boded well, but the latter, of course, was catastrophic, and Orion refused to entertain it for more than a few moments.

"We have to find them!" he exclaimed.

"Yes," murmured Mew. "Though I have a suspicion that they're in Viridian City, if they're not here, and it's Team Rocket that's involved."

"Then we have to go there!"

"Yes, I agree," said Mew, trying to maintain a calm composure, "but I'm not entirely sure that that would be a wise decision at the moment. The Rockets are doing something on Mount Queyna. If they came here simply to capture Mewtwo and Nova, it wouldn't make sense for them to stay here. And yet, there they are," and Mew gestured at the dark, ant-like figures on the mountain. "They're up to something, and I think that it's important that we find out what."

Orion nodded quickly in agreement. "Then we need to go down there," he said urgently.

"And soon," added Mew. "It's too dark for them to see us now, but as soon as the sun rises, we'll be plainly obvious to every Rocket down there. We have to move quickly."

"Teleport?"

"I think that would be safest."

"But where? We don't want to end up in the middle of a group of Rockets— they'll be heavily armed, and I have no doubt that they'll have hoards of dark pokémon at their disposal."

Mew looked away from Orion and toward the mountain, considering it for a moment. "I'm afraid we'll have to take a risk," she murmured. "Though I can't imagine that they've occupied _every _cave and tunnel in that entire mountain."

"What about Mewtwo's chamber?" suggested Orion. "From the looks of it, they've clustered mostly around the water, and there would be nothing of use to them in Mewtwo's room, or any of the caves, really. I think it's a safe bet."

"I think you may be right," nodded Mew. "Very well. We'll go to Mewtwo's chamber and see what awaits us there. I'll let you take the lead; you know far more about Team Rocket than I do, I'm sure."

Orion gave Mew a brisk nod of agreement. They exchanged a bold look of determination; there was simply no time to be fearful or uncertain. Mount Queyna was under siege, and Mewtwo and Nova were missing. Orion and Mew realized that action had to be taken immediately, and that a moment's hesitation could be a precious waste of time.

Orion and Mew floated alongside one another before they each closed their eyes. Within moments, wisps of electric blue materialized from the chilled night air and surrounded their bodies. The next moment, there was a brilliant white flash, and the two pokémon had vanished.

* * *

"Good—there doesn't seem to be anyone here… as you suspected, Orion."

"Well, not that we know of. Let's move quietly, and get to healing spring if we can."

"Yes … I'm worried about the spring myself. Do you know if they're aware of what it can do?"

"They wouldn't be there if they didn't."

Orion and Mew carefully surveyed the shadows of Mewtwo's chamber. There was little to be seen by the faint slivers of moonlight that angled in through the room's window-openings. Though Orion squinted to see better through the thick veils of darkness that hung in front of him, he could see little else but a few scattered stones and Mewtwo's surveillance screen, which was currently as black as its surroundings. There weren't any signs of anything living, human or otherwise.

Orion crept forward, his bare, two-toed feet silent against the cool, stone floor. Mew floated silently behind him. Arriving at the archway that served as the exit to the room, Orion halted and rose his hand to signal for Mew to stop. Slowly, cautiously, Orion peered around the edge of the arch to see if anyone was on the staircase below.

_I hear voices. There's someone down there, _he voiced so that only Mew could hear.

At the very bottom of the stone stairwell stood two Rocket grunts, and, though Orion couldn't be entirely sure because they were so far down, they were accompanied by two houndoom, as well. Someone who Orion couldn't see was speaking to them.

"—yes, I know that Mewtwo and Nova have been taken away, but we're not entirely sure about Orion and Mew," said an authoritative, female voice. Orion didn't have to think for more than a second to identify it as Domino's. "I don't know for sure if they're even here, and neither does Chaos," she continued, "but I just saw a very suspicious flash in the sky."

"A flash?" repeated one of the grunts, sounding bewildered.

"Yes, a flash!" said Domino, her voice sharpening with annoyance. "As in the kind a psychic pokémon makes when it teleports!"

"Oh …" the grunt muttered sheepishly. "Right. Yeah. I knew that."

"Just keep an eye out, will you, for anything or anyone suspicious. If this mission is jeopardized by either of those two pokémon showing up, I'm placing the blame squarely on anyone responsible for guarding the spring— and that includes you."

The two grunts murmured their understanding, and Orion heard footsteps as Domino walked away.

"This is stupid," one of the grunts snapped after several moments of silence. "What are we supposed to do, anyway, if a Mewtwo _does_suddenly show up? It's not like they'll have those inhibitor things on— we won't be able to stop 'em."

"That's what the dark pokémon are for, you idiot!" said the other grunt, jerking his head toward the houndoom.

"Yeah, and what if they decide to teleport? Not much the houndoom can do, eh? Or they could just attack—"

The Rocket trailed off in the middle of his sentence, however, his attention suddenly drawn to the two aforementioned houndoom. They had begun to sniff the air, as if suddenly catching a scent. Immediately, the two wolfish pokémon began to creep up the first few steps of the stairwell, their snouts wrinkling as they began to growl. Their narrowed, black eyes looked up to the very top of the stone staircase, where Orion was peering down at them.

Orion quickly pulled his head back into the shadows of Mewtwo's chamber. _They've seen us! _he told Mew. _Their pokémon know that we're here!_

Mew's eyes widened and her mouth tightened into a grim line, and soon the grunts' voices began to float up the stairwell.

"Hey, the houndoom smell something! There's someone up there!"

"How could there be someone up there? We've been guarding these stairs for an hour!"

"Don't you remember what Domino said? She saw something teleport!"

The houndoom began to trot up the stairs, their low grows quickly escalating into loud, threatening snarls, and the two grunts sprinted along behind them. They would reach the chamber in a matter of moments.

Orion looked to Mew in alarm. Mew, thinking quickly, flew towards one of the windows of the chamber, motioning for Orion to follow. Mew flitted out of the window-opening easily, but it proved to be a tighter squeeze for Orion, who was much larger than Mew. For a few panicked seconds, he became stuck between the rock, and looked behind himself frantically to see if the Rockets had arrived yet.

_Oh, no, this can't be happening_, he thought desperately, pushing as hard as he could. _Why do Mewtwos have such ridiculously big hips?!_

After a second more of struggling, and with some telekinetic assistance from Mew, Orion finally tumbled through the window. The two began to fly away immediately, avoiding the risk that the Rockets might catch a glimpse of them.

"We have to go the spring," Mew whispered urgently as they cut through the quickly fading darkness. "And we have to be more careful!"

"Yes," said Orion breathlessly. "That was too close."

Silently, Orion and Mew flew around the island on which the spring was, still shielded by the dwindling cloak of night. Finally, they came to the top of a high outcrop of rock. They landed gently and crouched down behind its edge, both of them careful to keep themselves hidden this time. Very carefully, they peered over the edge of outcrop and looked at the area below.

Below them was the healing spring, its smooth, crystalline waters glimmering softly in the starlight. Though the spring itself was as beautiful as ever, Orion felt his stomach lurch sickly as he viewed the scene below. Surrounding the spring, amongst the grass and flowers and lush vegetation, were easily a hundred Rockets. It was like watching an efficient, sophisticated ant-hill go about its daily business; nearly all the Rockets were moving busily, rushing back and forth with equipment, building together in small clusters, all as if working towards one unanimous goal. Some were standing guard, some were unloading equipment from massive, black helicopters, and some were operating machinery Orion had never seen before. It was the machines, in particular that drew Orion's attention. They were lined up, for the most part, on the shore of the spring, and were connected to vast tank-like containers and round pipes that had been lowered into the spring itself.

It didn't take long for Orion to realize what Team Rocket was doing. He winced painfully, everything suddenly very clear to him. "Mew … they're …"

"…taking the water," muttered Mew, when it was obvious that Orion couldn't finish the sentence. Her voice was uncharacteristically hollow.

"This … this is … I can't believe it ," breathed Orion, shaking his head in horror. "Why would Chaos do this? Team Rocket has never shown any interest in Mount Queyna before … why are they taking the water?"

Mew's expression was almost unreadable, but her still blue eyes failed to conceal the current of worry that churned just beneath the surface. "I don't know," she murmured, carefully contemplating the situation. "Something about this doesn't seem right—obviously they've taken away Mewtwo and Nova so that they can get to the water, but it seems very peculiar, and a very dangerous risk to take. Nonetheless … we have to stop them. That water is a sacred, miraculous substance, and the last place it should be is in the hands of Team Rocket. We can put an end to this operation immediately— they would be defenceless against us if we were to stage an attack now. We can destroy all their equipment from here, since we're out of reach of their pokémon."

"No, we can't do that," said Orion. "It _would _be possible for you and I to destroy their entire operation right now, but then they would know that we were here and that we know exactly what they're up to. Headquarters would find out immediately. And I'd bet anything that that's where Mewtwo and Nova are being kept— Team Rocket HQ. And if we attack the Rockets here, at Mount Queyna, than they'll correctly guess that our next move will be to find and release Mewtwo and Nova, so the security at HQ will increase by ten-fold. And that's not what we want if we plan on saving the others."

"And what sort of security could they have in Viridian City?" Mew pointed out. "Not to sound arrogant, but we _are_ two of the most powerful pokémon in the world—what could they do to stop us?"

"To be honest, I have no idea," admitted Orion. "But obviously Nova and Mewtwo were subdued somehow, weren't they? Otherwise, they'd still be here, fighting off the Rockets. I don't know what they could have done to capture two pokémon that powerful, but whatever they've done to them, I imagine it can be done to us, too."

"Ah. Yes, you're quite correct, Orion."

"Not to mention we'd have to deal with Chaos if we go to Viridian City, and I'll admit that I'm no match for her whatsoever," added Orion. Sighing wearily, he rubbed one of his temples, as if the entire situation were giving him headache. "I suppose it comes down to what you consider more important: Mewtwo and Nova, or Mount Queyna," he murmured. "And frankly, I'm leaning towards Mewtwo and Nova."

"Yes, you're absolutely right—we have to save our friends before anything else," said Mew.

"We should leave immediately, then. The sooner we get to Team Rocket headquarters, the better."

"Very well. There's little sense in wasting any more time here, then. We should teleport to Viridian Forest, and make our way from there."

Orion nodded. With nothing else needed to be said, he and Mew crouched down behind the rocky outcrop. Together, they closed their eyes in concentration, and the next second they had flashed into non-existence.

* * *

In Viridian City, morning came quickly, or at least much quicker than Mewtwo would have liked it to. He had spent much of the night in a sleepless haze, too disoriented by what had happened the previous evening to seek any rest at all. He had spent his entire night curled up in the corner of his cell, worrying about Nova, Orion and Mew, and himself, his reeling mind left worn and exhausted by the time dawn broke. It was at that point that a Rocket scientist had come to collect him from his cell and had him escorted to a laboratory in handcuffs, his powers still blocked entirely by the infernal inhibitor snapped around his neck.

It was, of course, the trip to the laboratory that had left Mewtwo dreading the morning's arrival. Mewtwo didn't like laboratories, and for good reason: nearly all his experiences with them had stemmed from his time spent under the care of Team Rocket, and none had been particularly pleasant. It was impossible for Mewtwo to be surrounded by lab-coats and machines and chemicals without remembering the first few conscious moments of his life, those terrible moments when he had first broken out of his cloning tank to be greeted by a group of cold, indifferent scientists. His first moments had been of confusion, fear, and intense anger, and having little understanding or control of his powers, he had killed at least a hundred scientists. It had been impossible for Mewtwo to ever shake the fact that his hands were so stained with blood-shed, and the memory of that day still made him shudder to think about.

His latest trip to the lab was just as unpleasant as always. As soon as he was dragged from his cell and forced through the heavy, steel doors to the Team Rocket research labs, he was greeted by a coldly familiar scene: The fluorescent lighting was just as harsh as he remembered it, the machines and computers whirred in their usual, droning way, and the entire area smelled artificial and sterile and metallic. The scientists, as he expected, were the worst; every one of their movements was calculated and mechanical, as if they themselves were connected to their computers by invisible wires, and their lab coats were so pristinely white that they camouflaged in with their blank environment like sickly chameleons, only their faces, their hands, and the blood red 'R's stitched on their lapels visible against the sterile white.

The morning passed by in an achingly, slow-moving blur. He found that, rather than feeling humiliated by the prospect of being a test-subject, he felt bored and restless as the scientists subjected him to a variety of very mundane tests. One by one, a parade of pokémon specialists came to examine him, testing everything they could think of: his breathing and heart-rate were recorded, his reflexes were tested, samples of blood and nearly every tissue and fluid they could think of were collected, his brainwaves were studied, and the strength of his inhibitor was even lowered so that they could observe him using very basic telepathy and telekinesis. The scientists completed every one of these tasks in almost complete silence, treating Mewtwo coldly and impersonally; it baffled him how they could be examining him so closely and yet acting as if he weren't there at all.

Time dragged on, and Mewtwo watched it tick by with agonizing slowness on the clock on the opposite wall of the lab. Slowly, his eyes dragged from the clock to a nearby desk, where Doctor Sebastian was working quietly, lifting his head now and then to survey the scientists working with Mewtwo. Every once and a while, Mewtwo was sure that he caught Sebastian watching him with an oddly pleased smile, which greatly unnerved Mewtwo and prompted him to look away quickly. Currently, however, Sebastian seemed to be immersed in his work, and Mewtwo looked away, back at the scientist currently studying him, a younger but coldly inexpressive woman.

"Focus on the task at hand, please," said the scientist flatly, having noticed that Mewtwo's mind had started to wander.

Mewtwo gave the scientist a cold glare before returning to what it was he was supposed to be doing. He had been given a psychological questionnaire to fill out, and was taking great pleasure in filling out the answers as inaccurately as possible. If Team Rocket sincerely believed that they could crack his psyche in such a ridiculously blunt and clumsy manner, then they would be sorely surprised. He found it more likely, however, that they were merely trying to annoy him rather than seriously trying to collect information on the inner workings of his mind.

Nonetheless, he worked at the task without complaint, aware that protesting would make no difference and that it would be over faster if he remained silent. Having been given his most meagre of psychic powers back earlier, Mewtwo filled out the forms in front of him without moving at all, his mind in control of the pen flitting back and forth across the page. He paused for a moment in his writing, pretending to consider one of the questions more deeply when in fact his mind had wandered to Nova. He couldn't shake the worry for her that had been gnawing away at him all morning and night. Where was she? Was she being treated cruelly? Was she perhaps in another lab, just like him, undergoing all the same, tedious tests? Did she feel bored, like he did, or scared and alone, dreading what she knew Chaos had planned for her?

Mewtwo sighed and returned to the task at hand. He finished it hastily, his mind still on Nova, wishing that he could just see her again. Glumly, he passed the finished questionnaire to the scientist, who grabbed it from his hands impatiently.

"Ah, finished are we?" Mewtwo looked over and saw that it was Sebastian who had spoken. He set down the papers he was working on, stood up from his desk, and came around to where Mewtwo and the scientist were sitting.

"That's enough. I'll take him from here," said Doctor Sebastian to the woman, and she nodded and left the room quickly.

"I have some tests of my own I'd like to run," Sebastian explained as the other scientist left. "I'd like to study you while you use your powers, in particular… reduce the strength of your inhibitor slightly… though not enough to do any sort of damage, of course."

Mewtwo looked away, deciding that a speck on a nearby wall was much more interesting than Sebastian and whatever it was he had to say. Noticing that he was being ignored, Sebastian spoke again.

"Well, then, follow me Mewtwo," he said, colder this time, "I want to get a few brain scans from you while you use your powers, and we can't remain here for that. Come along."

"Sounds delightful," Mewtwo muttered, rolling his eyes. Sebastian glared at him and roughly snapped the cuffs around Mewtwo's wrist, clearly not in the mood for sarcasm. After making sure that Mewtwo was secured, Sebastian moved towards the door and motioned for Mewtwo to follow. Before Mewtwo could even stand up, however, the door opened abruptly and yet another scientist came into the room.

The scientist this time was male, and gave off the distinct impression that he was flustered about something. A few papers were anxiously clutched in his hands, and as soon as he entered the room, he rushed toward Sebastian, his gaze flicking from Sebastian to the papers to Sebastian again.

"May I help you?" Sebastian asked, surveying the younger man before him with a blend of annoyance and curiosity.

"It's—It's about Nova," the man said breathlessly, and Mewtwo looked up, his attention caught. "These test results … they're not … I was told to inform you immediately … I—"

Sebastian sighed impatiently before grabbing the papers from the other scientist. "Either coherently tell me what's going on, or be silent," he said flatly, adjusting his glasses so that he could survey the papers before him.

"Well, we were running some tests on Nova, and we were checking her hormone levels," said the scientist, "just a routine test, really, but then—then we got the results—it's all down on that page if you'll—"

"Yes, I see that."

"Well, yes, but—"

"These can't be right," interrupted Sebastian, his brow furrowing. "Either there's been an error, or …" His eyes widened suddenly.

"What? What's going on?" Mewtwo demanded. 'What's wrong with Nova?"

The scientists, however, ignored him.

"I wasn't aware that this was possible," murmured Sebastian, his widened eyes still focussed on the pages in his hands.

"Someone has to tell Chaos," said the other scientist urgently. "If she kills Nova, we'll be missing a valuable research opportunity—"

"What? What are you talking about?" Mewtwo demanded, angrier this time.

"Surely Chaos will express some interest in this matter," said Sebastian, still ignoring Mewtwo. "I'll go see her immediately."

"No!" shouted Mewtwo. "You're not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on with Nova!"

Sebastian turned around and faced Mewtwo as if he were an insolent child who had just said something unspeakably rude. "You're in no position to make demands, Mewtwo!" he hissed. "You wait here quietly until I get back. And you," he added, looking to the other scientist, "you keep an eye on him while I'm gone."

Mewtwo stood up and was about to protest, but Sebastian had already left the room.

* * *

Many floors above the Team Rocket laboratories, Chaos sat alone in her office. She was positioned, as usual, behind her vast, mahogany desk, paperwork laid out before her and Persian curled up at her feet. And though she seemed to have plenty of work to do waiting for her on the desk, Chaos seemed to be paying little attention it. In fact, she had turned her chair away from the desk completely, facing, instead, the wall of windows immediately behind her desk. Her gold eyes were narrowed thoughtfully, surveying the landscape of Viridian City that stretched out before her.

Chaos knew that she had work to do, things to attend to, people to talk to, and that it would be best if she simply turned her chair around and went back to work. But her mind had lost its focus; it jumped and flitted from thought to thought, restless and irritated, and she found that when she did muster the concentration to work, it went frustratingly slow. She had concluded that a short break might offer some relief, but even now, sitting quietly in the soothing semi-darkness, she felt just as restless and unfocussed as before.

Chaos had no doubt that Nova was the source of her unease. She had wanted very badly to kill Nova today, immediately— simply finish the job, move on, and wrap up what needed wrapping up back on Mount Queyna. But Sebastian—whose cold demeanour Chaos had come to find quite unnerving—had been difficult to turn down. So he wanted to study Nova for a week—it was a reasonable request, Chaos had to admit. Surely she could keep Nova alive for seven more days? Would it be that difficult to control her vengeful impulses for just a week? And besides, Nova was under tight security and posed no threat—there wasn't anything to feel apprehensive about.

And yet, all the same, Chaos couldn't shake the dark feeling of unease that had settled over her. It hung over her consciousness just as thickly and darkly as the shadows that filled her office, and nothing she told herself could convince her that keeping Nova alive any longer was a good idea. Chaos couldn't help but think of Giovanni, either; what would _he_ think about his murderer being kept comfortably alive in Team Rocket headquarters, for no other purpose but to serve one scientist's whims? Chaos knew he would be nothing short of displeased, and the thought of disappointing Giovanni was enough to make her feel sickly ashamed.

Chaos began to stroke her brow absent-mindedly and heaved a weary, irritated sigh. She lowered her other hand to Persian's head and began to stroke the feline's ears back, hoping that the rhythmic movement might do something to distract or soothe her. For a few moments, it did, and Chaos lost herself in calmer, more welcome thoughts. Her reverie, however, was to be promptly shattered when she heard an urgent rapping on her office doors.

_Oh, what the hell is it now? _She thought bitterly, looking around the back of the chair. "Who is it?" she snapped.

"Doctor Sebastian, and it's important."

"It damn well better be," Chaos retorted, turning her seat around to face the desk. "Come in, then, and make it quick!"

The doors flew open quickly, and Sebastian walked briskly into the room, a feverish excitement glimmering in his usually dull eyes. Chaos realized then that she had never seen Sebastian agitated over anything, and this sudden break from his coldly composed manner made her feel slightly uneasy. She stared at the folder clutched in his hands, wondering what was contained within it.

"Well… what is it?" Chaos asked.

"It's about Nova!" exclaimed Sebastian, and he began to frantically flip through the pages in the folder. "Some of my scientists were running some routine tests on her, and something peculiar came up—very peculiar indeed—in fact, from prior knowledge, I wasn't aware that it was even _possible _in Mewtwos—"

"What are you talking about?" Chaos demanded, and suddenly, she began to feel very worried. What if Sebastian had discovered that Nova was invincible somehow, that Chaos wouldn't be able to kill her even if she tried? What else could possibly have him so excited? "What's going on? I'm still going to be able to kill her, won't I?"

"Well—yes, of course you can still kill her," said Sebastian, and his expression became very grave. "But I don't know why you would want to—you'd be throwing away a tremendous research opportunity, Chaos! Look!"

At this, Sebastian finally extracted a sheet of paper from his folder and slapped it onto the desk. Chaos looked down at it, but none of the words or figures on it made much sense to her. There were numbers and long, chemical names, and a graph of some sort charting something Chaos didn't completely understand.

"Look at these test results," urged Sebastian.

Chaos looked away from the page and frowned at him. "What the hell are you showing me this for? I'm not a scientist, Sebastian, I don't understand any of this! Could you please just explain what—"

Sebastian grabbed the paper away and tucked it back into the folder, his eyes flashing with impatience.

"Chaos, don't you understand?" he said, his voice dropping to a grating whisper. "This test, these results… they mean that… they mean that Nova's pregnant."

And Chaos felt her mouth go dry, her eyes go wide, and whatever it was she was going to say next slipped completely from her mind.

She hadn't been prepared for that.

* * *

End of Chapter XVII

Now to get cracking on the next one.


	18. The ExRocket

Two updates in one summer?! Madness, I know!

**Last Chapter: **Orion and Mew returned to Mount Queyna, only to find that it had fallen into the hands of Team Rocket, who were stealing the water from the healing spring. Meanwhile, back at the HQ, Sebastian was displeased to have only two, instead of three, Mewtwos to study, so Chaos agreed to let him keep Nova alive for one more week for scientific study. It was then that the Team Rocket scientists accidentally discovered that Nova was (gasp) pregnant.

* * *

Shadows Like You

Chapter XVIII _The Ex-Rocket_

By: Cosmic Mewtwo

* * *

Chaos couldn't quite believe what she had just been told. _Nova was pregnant. _Given the relationship between Mewtwo and Nova, she knew she shouldn't be too surprised, and yet, it still wasn't what she had expected. This, no doubt, would put a twist in her plans for Nova, and almost immediately, the cogs of her mind began to turn.

Sebastian, who stood nearby, calmly awaiting Chaos's reaction, began to speak again. "So, as I'm sure you realize, it would a be a terrible waste, at least to the scientific department, to kill Nova now. There's very little that we know about matters of Mewtwo reproduction—in fact, we know nothing—and I think this would prove to be a highly valuable scientific opportunity if we could study her and the potential offspring."

"Yes, you're right," murmured Chaos, her gaze seemingly focussed on something very distant.

"What are your plans, then?" asked Sebastian, peering intently through his spectacles and clutching his folder tightly between both hands. If Chaos were paying attention, she would have noticed that the scientist seemed almost nervous for her reply.

Chaos spent a few more moments in silence, considering the situation. Finally, she looked at Sebastian.

"We'll keep her alive," she announced, "until she gives birth. Then she can be killed. As for the child…" Chaos paused for another moment and gently began to stroke Giovanni's Persian, who had come to sit obediently at her side. "The child," she continued, "we'll keep. You can study it as much as you like, and when it's old enough, I'll teach it to serve Team Rocket and perhaps even raise it as an heir."

Sebastian nodded, and his expression changed from one of grim anticipation to a faint but satisfied smile. "Very well, madam."

"How long do you expect the gestation to last?" asked Chaos. "If I have to keep her alive, I'd like to know how long."

"I'm afraid that's anyone's guess," said Sebastian. "Frankly, I'm surprised that Nova is pregnant at all— I was under the impression that Mewtwos were infertile, but apparently I was mistaken. I can't even promise that Nova will carry the pregnancy to term. I have no idea what the chances are of her miscarrying."

"So you have no idea? Not even an estimate of how long this will take?" asked Chaos, annoyed.

"Well, I assume that it wouldn't be any shorter than a typical human pregnancy, but again, I can't be entirely sure. You have to realize that Mewtwos are, essentially, just a genetic mashing-together of many different pokémon species, all of which reproduce differently from one another. Nova could lay an _egg _for all I know, though I highly doubt it."

Chaos's eyebrows rose. "An egg?"

"It's unlikely, but again, it's anyone's guess. Actually, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to schedule Nova for an ultrasound as soon as possible to see how much the foetus has developed, if at all."

"Yes, yes, whatever you wish."

"And, if it's possible," added Sebastian, eyeing Chaos hesitantly. "I would suggest giving Nova better accommodations than a cold, uncomfortable cell. I think it would be unwise to cause any undue stress to her, now that she's… expecting. For the health of the offspring, I mean."

Chaos considered it for a moment, frowning, as if the idea of treating Nova humanely was disgusting to her. Finally, she sighed, and said, "Very well. If you feel you must. I'll have a proper room set up for her by the end of the day, when you're through studying her."

Sebastian bowed his head. "Thank you, madam. I'll be leaving then, to return to work and to inform Nova of these latest developments."

He turned to leave, but then hesitated mid-step, and looked again at Chaos.

"One more thing, madam."

Chaos, who had already turned back to her work, looked up, one eyebrow cocked. "Yes?"

"I'm assuming the father is Mewtwo, correct?"

"Obviously."

"Should I inform him of Nova's condition? He knows that _something_ is amiss, and I fully expect he'll be asking questions."

"Mewtwo…" murmured Chaos, pausing for a moment, "…does not need to know. "He seems like the fiercely protective type, and if he finds out that Nova is pregnant, it will only make him angrier that she is being held captive. No doubt he will make an attempt to free himself and his mate, and while I'm sure he'll fail, we just don't need to deal with that sort of trouble at the moment. For now, keep him in the dark."

"Very well. I will leave you be, then."

The scientist nodded politely and then turned, leaving the office behind.

—————————————————

Nova couldn't remember having ever felt more irritable; she had spent her entire morning in the labs fighting a headache, nausea, and a nearly uncontrollable urge to dismember every miserable scientist who had had the nerve to so much as touch her. Her foul mood came as no surprise, however; having been separated from her mate, forced to undergo scientific experimentation, and given a death sentence for the end of the week, it was no wonder that she was angrier than she had ever been in her life and felt as if she were going to be terribly ill.

"No! _Don't touch me_!" she snarled at the two scientists currently working with her, kicking away from them. The pair looked at each other, exasperated, each wondering why her inhibitor's setting had been changed so that she could speak telepathically. She had done nothing but snarl at them since they had come in.

"Please, calm down," pleaded the first scientist, who was a weary-looking, greying man. "We only want to measure your brain waves—we just need to attach these electrodes to the surface of your head, it's all very non-invasive—"

"No!" shouted Nova, and her voice was shrill with more than just anger, but pain and exhaustion as well. It was impossible to ignore the pain throbbing behind her temples and the writhing queasiness that unsettled her stomach. "I just—I just want to lie down!"

"Nova, if you don't—"

"_Leave me alone_!" she shouted, and she would have made an attempt to push them away had her hands not been cuffed behind her back. "I—I feel ill…"

The other scientist, a woman with glasses and hair twisted back into a tight knot, looked away from Nova, eyes narrowed. "This is impossible. We're never going to accomplish anything with her having a tantrum—she's going to have to be tied down or tranquilized."

The male scientist nodded grimly. Nova's mouth opened in disbelief, and she looked frantically back and forth between them.

"Absolutely _not! _I will _not _be tied down like some animal, or knocked out just so that—"

But Nova failed to finish the end of her sentence, for her stomach twisted in a sudden, vulgar spasm, forcing the sick feeling to intensify and spill into her throat. Before she could move or stop herself, she vomited all over the female scientist's pristinely white lab-coat.

The scientist jumped to her feet and, after taking a few moments to swear profusely, rushed from the room to find somewhere to clean herself off. The male scientist remained behind, staring at Nova, eyes wide with a mix of bewilderment and concern. Nova, however, paid little attention to him; her throat burning and her mind spinning, she lay down on the table she was sitting at, and curled inward into a sort of fpetal position.

"Can I please go back to my cell?" she moaned. "I… I really don't feel well…"

"Well, that much is obvious," muttered the scientist, stroking his chin. "Perhaps you should be returned to your cell—if you're infected with some sort of virus, it would not be wise to keep you out here in the lab… I'm going to go find Doctor Sebastian."

This, however, would prove to be unnecessary; no sooner had the scientist stood up from his chair that the door swung open and in walked Doctor Sebastian. The male scientist jumped back in surprise, and Sebastian in turn looked from him to Nova with a curious but frigid stare. Nova merely groaned, well aware that things couldn't possibly get any better with Sebastian in the room.

"Sebastian!" the scientist exclaimed.

Sebastian wasted no time with greetings. "What's the matter with Nova?" he asked. "Why is she curled up like that?"

"She's… she's ill with something. She just threw up on one of my colleagues—I was just about to leave and find you, actually—"

"Ah," said Sebastian, giving a nod and a satisfied sort of look that implied that he knew exactly what the problem was. "Nauseous, is she?"

"Well—y-yes, she is—"

"To be expected. Morning sickness, no doubt."

Nova, who had been largely ignoring the conversation, suddenly rose an eyebrow.

"Morning sickness?" exclaimed the scientist. "What? You can't be serio—"

"I am, and yes, it's precisely what you're thinking," Sebastian interrupted briskly. He brushed past the scientist, whose eyes had become considerably large, and approached Nova, who was just starting to unfurl from her position on the table.

"Nova, I'm here to deliver some news to you and inform you of a change in Chaos's plans for you," Sebastian began, peering down at her from behind his glasses.

Nova sat up, feeling dizzier than she had a moment before. What was going on? What was the matter with her? _Morning sickness_? She considered the term carefully for a moment, and a slow realization began to creep over her mind. When she realized what, precisely, Sebastian was implying, she found herself paralyzed, her mind spinning and blurring, and a strange fluttering mingling with the ache in her stomach.

"What… what's going on?" she asked, though in the further reaches of her mind, she already had an answer.

"You're pregnant, Nova," said Sebastian flatly and without even the slightest trace of emotion, as if the statement he had just made was mundane, even boring.

In reality, Nova had never heard anything more shocking. She remained as she was, stiffly seated on the table's ledge, her eyes firmly set on Sebastian's, as if she were looking for some sort of amusement there, some sort of hint that he was joking. But there was no hint of mirth behind the glasses, just the usual, steely coldness. He was serious. Deadly serious, as always.

"…Pregnant?" said Nova. Her voice was low, hoarse, as if just saying the word was exhausting. _Pregnant. _No, the word didn't even sound right in her mind; not unpleasant or unwelcome, no—but strange. Alien. Soon, more words began to spring to her mind, like _mother _and _child_, and as hard as she tried, she couldn't seem to connect the words to herself. She tried in vain to wrap her mind around this strange, new concept, but found that it was far too great, too vast to fit into her tired mind. _Pregnant. _It felt like an odd taste in her mouth.

She looked away from Sebastian, and noticed that her hands were shaking. Why did she feel so scared? Under any other circumstance, she was sure that she would have been happy— and she was, partially. No, she hadn't been prepared for this sort of news, and no, she wasn't convinced that she was even _ready_ to be a mother, but it wasn't as if she had never expected it to happen. In fact, part of her was almost delighted by the prospect.

But there was no ignoring the fact that these weren't normal circumstances. She was alone, separated from Mewtwo, and being held captive in a Team Rocket laboratory. Chaos had made it clear that she would be dead in a week. She had been scared before, of course, but the dread that filled her now was dark and heavy and almost enough to suffocate her.

Before, she had only had to worry about herself, but now there was someone else, someone innocent and unborn, to be afraid for. Suddenly, she could hardly breathe.

"No, you have to be wrong!" she cried. "I can't be pregnant! I can't have a baby, and let Chaos kill them—"

"She won't," said Sebastian and, when it was clear by Nova's expression that she didn't understand, he continued. "Because of these… recent revelations, Chaos has decided to let you live until the baby's born."

Nova's eyes flared open and she felt her muscles tensing. "What? And then what?"

"Well, then, I regret to inform you that she intends to proceed with her original plan to kill you.'

"What… What about the child?"

"The child will be spared. For scientific study," he added, and Nova could sense the lie even without her powers.

"And I suppose that's why I'm being kept alive?" Nova hissed. "For 'scientific study'? I imagine that this pregnancy must be _enormously interesting _to you and your despicable scientists, quite a _novelty _to have a pregnant Mewtwo to poke and prod for the next… however many months I'm going to be pregnant!" Nova then paused suddenly, her anger momentarily replaced by something else, a sense of fear, almost. For how many months _was _she going to be pregnant? It occurred to her then that she knew absolutely nothing about what lay ahead of her. She was the first Mewtwo to ever be pregnant; how _could _she know anything?

"Yes, we are going to continue to study you scientifically," said Sebastian, and, as if he knew what she was thinking, he added, "but I can assure that it will be to your benefit. I don't imagine that you know much more about Mewtwo reproduction than we do. Neither you nor I know when the child will be born, how many children to even expect, what sort of changes your body will undergo, or what risks will be involved. You're quite fortunate, actually, to be surrounded by pokémon experts who can take care of you—all that we ask is that you willingly submit to scientific observation."

Nova looked at Sebastian through narrowed eyes, her lips pressed together in a tight, cheerless line. "So that's it, then?" she said, and she was surprised to find that her voice was trembling. "I'm just expected to be quiet and submissive until the baby's born? Play the part of the obedient lab rat until Chaos kills me and takes my child away? Do you have any idea how utterly demeaning that is?"

Sebastian's lip curled unpleasantly, and he heaved a heavy sigh of annoyance. "Nova, this wasn't my plan, and being difficult isn't going to make the next few months any more bearable for you. I'm merely a scientist who's been provided with a subject to study, and that is precisely what I'm going to do. Don't waste your time trying to appeal to my emotions, because I can guarantee that you won't succeed. If you have any complaints, I suggest that you share them with Chaos; she's the one who controls your fate. Not me."

Anger swelled up within Nova, and suddenly she felt angry enough to lash out and hurt Sebastian. She remained still, however; not only were her hands still bound behind her back, but she knew that violence wouldn't accomplish anything. What was the point in rebelling? It didn't change the fact that she was trapped, powerless, and going to die. Her only hope was to escape, and so far, she didn't have any sort of feasible plan for that.

Nova swallowed heavily and hung her head. Had her hands not been bound by cuffs, she would have gladly hid behind them. "What about Mewtwo?" she asked. "Will I be able to see him again, since I'm going to be allowed to live longer?"

"Chaos made no mention of it."

Nova hadn't expected anything better, but she felt an unbearable ache seep through her chest all the same. "Does he know?" she asked. "Does he know that I'm pregnant?"

"No."

"Can you tell him?" Nova asked, though it sounded more like a desperate plea than a simple request. "He—he has to know! He's the father! He has every right to know!"

"I imagine he'll find out eventually; he can't be kept in the dark forever," Sebastian muttered before casting a quick glance at his watch. He frowned. "Anyway, I've wasted far too much time here chatting with you. We have to leave now."

Nova furrowed her brow. "Leave? Where are we going?"

"We didn't think it wise for you to remain in a cell for the remainder of your stay," explained Sebastian, his bristling tone suggesting that Nova's queries were starting to become quite irritating. "So Chaos has arranged for you to have new living quarters. I'm going to take you there now so that you'll have the remainder of the day to rest."

"New living quarters?" murmured Nova, eyes narrowing suspiciously. "You mean… an improvement from my cell?"

"Yes. Now, please, if you have any more questions, you can ask along the way. I have no intention of wasting any more time here." Sebastian turned away and added, "Follow me."

Without any other choice, and eager to leave the lab, anyway, Nova eased herself off the table and followed Doctor Sebastian. Silently, they left the laboratory behind them. Nova didn't know where she was going, but she knew that it couldn't possibly be worse than what she was leaving behind.

————————————————————

Though it was well past midday and a good time for wild pokémon to be going about their usual business, Viridian Forest was strangely quiet. But that, simply, was the way Viridian Forest always was—eerily tranquil, as if the silence contained within the forest's tree-lined edges was something tangible, part of the very air itself. To stand in the forest was like standing in a magnificent cathedral, with a silence so heavy that it felt almost sacred, and with trees so thick and so high that they stood like pillars supporting the lush, green roof above. The only sounds were the distant chirping of Pidgey and Spearow, and the occasional breeze through the canopy that left the leaves trembling and whispering. The peacefulness contained within the forest was potent, overwhelming, and had remained mostly undisturbed until a few minutes ago, when two strange pokémon had appeared in a brilliant flash of light.

Mew and Orion were near the edge of the forest, hidden, and far from the trails that the humans normally used to travel upon. They were well camouflaged amongst trees, bushes, and the dappled shadows cast upon them from the leaves high above. It would have been more comfortable to choose a part of the forest that was more open, a clearing, perhaps, but they didn't want to run the risk of being found; too often, trainers, travellers, or just curious bug-collectors wandered from the beaten-path, and Mew and Orion had no desire to run into humans at the moment. They had a job to do and a plan to make.

From where they crouched within the outer rim of the forest, they could see Viridian City in the distance, and closer to them, a large building of impressive steel and glass architecture. Team Rocket Headquarters.

"Well, here we are," murmured Mew. "You're the ex-Rocket, Orion—what do you think we should do next?"

"We have to find Nova and Mewtwo," he said quietly. His voice came distantly, and his gaze seemed just as far away, focussed intently on the Team Rocket building. "Though we'll have to go into the HQ to find a _precise_ location. Mew, do you sense them here?"

Mew closed her eyes and became silent. She floated motionlessly in the air for a few moments, concentrating, before she finally opened her eyes.

"Yes, I definitely sense them," she replied, but her eyes betrayed a sense of bafflement. "But…"

"What? What is it?"

"Well… it feels like they're… below," said Mew, "like they're underground."

"Ah," said Orion, nodding. "I'm not surprised. They must be contained in the lower levels of the headquarters, no doubt near the labs. I know for a fact that there are cells there—Team Rocket doesn't often take prisoners, but when they do, that's where they go. Mewtwo and Nova must be there."

"Do you know how to get there?"

"Yes, I do. But that doesn't mean it's going to be easy. There are lots of places they could be locked up in—they might even be in the labs themselves for some reason. Either way, we're going to come face to face with guards, or scientists, or whatever kind of Rocket, and they'll be armed. Weapons, pokémon, whatever, it's going to be difficult to avoid a fight."

Mew looked towards the HQ, her face grim. "So what do you suggest we do?"

Orion fell silent, carefully mulling over the facts that were available to him. "We'll teleport in," he said finally, "I'll lead us there. I'll take us to one of the places that I know there are cells, we'll do a quick search, and if they're not there, I'll teleport us to anotherpart of the building and keep searching. And we'll have to be _fast._ We're going to be noticed eventually, and when we are, we're going to have every Rocket and pokémon—and not to mention Chaos—in the building after us. An escape won't be hard, but if we leave without Mewtwo and Nova, we might never get back into the HQ again. If we run into anyone along the way, we'll knock them unconscious _immediately, _before they have the chance to alert anyone, and we have to avoid being seen by any cameras. The longer we go unnoticed, the better."

"So much of this is going to rely on chance, then?"

"Not if we're careful and we put up a good fight. I think it can be pulled off."

"Well, I'm going to trust that you know what you're doing, Orion," said Mew, and it was the first time Orion had ever heard Mew sound close to afraid. "I've been around for a long time, but I've never done anything like this before. And it's been years since I last had a proper battle."

"Don't worry, Mew. You'll be fine," said Orion softly. It felt strange to be reassuring _her _for once. "You're… you're a _Mew._ I can't think of anything other than a Mewtwo that could stand a chance again you."

"Well, it is entirely possible that we'll run into Chaos."

"Well, she'll have to fight the both of us, then," said Orion with a smile. "And I'm afraid she'll be outmatched."

Mew, despite her worries, returned Orion's smile. "I suppose you're right," she said, gently touching his hand with her own, "I trust you."

Orion looked at Mew, and the peacefulness in her large, blue eyes was enough to fill him with an over-powering sense of calm. "I trust you, too," he said softly. They remained still for several moments, and soon, a curious silence fell over them, a silence that was only punctuated by the distant sounds of the forest all around them. Orion felt a strange energy surge within his chest, as if something frozen there had suddenly thawed. He realized that it was the first time in months that he had felt truly alive.

Finally, Mew looked away from him, and whatever spell had been cast upon them seemed to break. "We should go. We can't waste any time; Mewtwo and Nova will be waiting."

Orion nodded. "Yes, you're right. Take my hand—I'll teleport us in."

Mew did as she was told, and let Orion gently grasp her paw. His eyes fell shut, and they both became surrounded with a familiar blue light before vanishing completely.

——————————————

When Mew and Orion rematerialized less than a moment later, the environment they entered was considerably more unpleasant than the forest that they had just left behind. They were in a long, concrete hallway that was cold and barren from one end to the other. It was dimly lit by a few fluorescent lights along the ceiling, and their harsh glow made the corridor look grimier and filthier than it was. Even the air felt unpleasant, heavy and stagnant, and it smelled damp and metallic. Most of the Team Rocket headquarters was very pristine and state-of-the-art, but here, in the HQ's underbelly where Team Rocket's prisoners were kept, it had been left to deteriorate into ugliness.

The first thing Orion did once they had appeared in the hallway was check the ceiling, for cameras, and then look up and down the hallway, for Rockets. He saw nothing.

"Good, the area's clear," he whispered to Mew. "Follow me."

Silently, Orion padded down the hallway, Mew floating closely behind them. They arrived at a corner, and before they could continue on, Orion peered carefully around it.

The hallway that stretched on around the corner was just a continuation of the same, ugly bleakness of the hallway they were already in. The air felt just as stale, the light was just as dim, and the only sound that Orion could hear was the inconsistent hum of flickering fluorescent lights. The only difference was that on one side of the hallway were barred cells, much like a prison. The nearest cells seemed to be vacant, and as far as Orion could tell, there was no one at all in this hallway.

"I don't see any guards," he murmured. "I imagine there would be guards if Mewtwo and Nova were being kept here."

Mew shook her head. "You're right—I don't feel anyone's presence here."

"Very well. We'll go down to the end of the corridor—there should be a set of stairs there leading to a level below us. There are more cells there. We can check for Nova and Mewtwo."

Mew nodded, and they set off down the hall carefully and silently. Their trip went quickly and uninterrupted, save for a brief moment in the middle of the corridor where they had to teleport across a space watched over by a small, dark camera on the ceiling. Thankfully, they noticed no others, and as far as they knew, they hadn't been seen.

They reached the end of the hallway. There, they descended a twisted flight of stairs down to the floor below, Orion choosing to float instead of walk so that his feet wouldn't bang against the metal steps. It felt very odd to him, having to move around the headquarters so secretively. This place had once been his home, and he had been free to wander it as he pleased—but this was no longer the case. Now, he was an intruder—an _enemy. _With his heart beating swiftly and his senses sharply alert with the steady pulse of adrenaline, Orion felt, for the first time in his life, like a true criminal.

Once they had reached the bottom of the stairwell, Orion once again peered around the corner to the hallway beyond. His eyes widened abruptly from what he saw; this hallway was not deserted like the one they had just left. Far down, nearly at the end of the corridor, Orion could see two Rockets clad in black, and near them, two irritable-looking Tyranitar patrolling the hall.

"_Stay quiet," _Orion said silently to Mew, his tone urgent.

"Orion!" she answered, her telepathic voice silenced so that only he could hear. "I can sense something! Mewtwo—he's nearby, I can feel it! He—"

"I know. I can see two Rockets and a couple of Tyranitar. They're guarding something, and the Tyranitar are pacing the hall—they're going to come close and pick up our scent in a matter of moments."

Mew nodded, her face serious, but not fearful. "I see. We should knock the humans unconscious, then."

"And then the Tyranitar can be dealt with," said Orion, knowing exactly what she was planning. "They'll be easier to fight with no one giving them orders—it might disorient them slightly."

"Yes, and then the Rockets will be incapable of alerting the rest of the HQ," added Mew. "I think we can do this."

"I hope so," said Orion, taking a deep breath to steady himself and his pounding heart. "All right, I'll take care of the humans."

Orion turned away from Mew and looked again around the corner. Suddenly, his eyes changed from red to a glowing, electric blue as he focussed his powers. Then, he unleashed a powerful, invisible Psywave attack that swept over the two Rockets down the corridor. Their eyes rolling back into their heads, the two dark figures collapsed to the floor, their bodies twitching slightly from the psychic attack.

Orion let out his breath slowly and the eerie glow dissipated from his eyes. The Rockets had been taken care of easily, as he had expected. Humans were defenceless against most pokémon attacks; the Tyranitar, however, would be another matter entirely. Knowing that things were about to become much uglier, Orion tensed his muscles and focussed his mind, bracing himself for the attack that he knew was about to come.

The Tyranitar, as Orion expected, were quick to notice that their human masters had suddenly fallen, unconscious, to the floor. Instantly, their heads whipped around for the source of the assault, and their nostrils flared widely, trying to pick up a scent. The nearest Tyranitar soon narrowed its dark, reptilian eyes and a low, threatening growl rumbled from its throat. Suddenly, it began to charge in the direction of Orion and Mew, the second Tyranitar pursuing it only a moment later.

"All right, they've seen us," said Orion, his voice suddenly hoarse. "I'll take the first one. You take the other."

Knowing that he would freeze up with terror if he hesitated a moment more, Orion leapt out from behind the wall and faced the dinosaurian monster charging towards him. Orion knew that his psychic powers were useless against the Tyranitar and that he would only stand a chance if he used an attack from outside his element. But he hardly had the time to focus his powers on a proper attack—so he seized the first idea that sprang to his mind.

Orion's eyes flicked toward the nearest cell, and with a terrible noise of grinding metal, he ripped the bars cleanly from the wall with his mind. The Tyranitar ran directly into the bars before it could stop itself, the second one stumbling behind it, and it roared in pain from the impact it made against the metal.

For the moment, Orion and Mew were protected by the metal barrier, but the two Tyranitar quickly began to smash their thick, scaly bodies against the bars, denting the metal with ease.

"That's not going to hold!" cried Mew.

"I know!" shouted Orion, and now both Tyranitar were snapping at the bars with their teeth, their powerful jaws bending the metal apart with alarming force. Orion felt a surge of panic course through him as he imagined what would happen if those same jaws somehow found his neck.

Realizing that the barrier wasn't going to hold for much longer, Orion telekinetically wrenched one of the thickest bars toward himself and cast the rest away into the ruined cell. With nothing to stop them, the two Tyranitar lunged forward, but Orion swung the thick, heavy bar like a sword, smacking the first Tyranitar in the temple, and then swinging back quickly to hit the other in the jaw.

The first Tyranitar stumbled back dizzily, snarling in pain, while the other clutched at its jaw, blood running down its clawed hands from where Orion had knocked out a tooth or two. The first Tyranitar, still disoriented from the blow to its skull, tripped over the other's tail and fell backwards to the floor.

The floor rumbled with the force, and as it did, Orion cursed loudly, knowing that the abominable noise wouldn't go unnoticed for long.

Mew then teleported, reappearing behind the second Tyranitar, who roared furiously to see that one of its foes had suddenly disappeared. Before it could realize that Mew was just behind it, however, Mew delivered a powerful kick to the back its head. The Tyranitar bellowed in pain and frustration, swinging around to hit Mew, but she was quicker—teleporting again, she kicked the Tyranitar from the front, and kept teleporting and kicking while the Tyranitar howled and thrashed until, finally, in a clumsy bout of luck, the Tyranitar's hand hit Mew and smashed her into the wall.

Meanwhile, Orion had the other Tyranitar to contend with. Just as it began to pick itself unsteadily off the floor, its huge, lumbering figure shaking from the effort, Orion knew that this would be his best opportunity to attack. He stretched his arms out in front of him, focussed his mind to a clear, sharp point, and began to summon every molecule of water he could sense in his vicinity. His eyes shone with a fierce blue light, and the same light began to swirl around him with streams of gathering water. Just as the Tyranitar steadied itself and lifted its heavy, clawed hand for a downward slash, Orion thrust his arms forward and a rushing Hydro Cannon exploded from his fingertips. The solid, white column of water slammed into the Tyranitar's chest and flung it backwards into the wall. It slumped down on the floor, near where Mew had fallen, and it groaned with a rumbling pain.

The other Tyranitar, however, was still more than ready to attack, and was advancing ominously toward Mew. Mew, shaken from her fall, pushed herself off the floor and onto her feet and, for a moment, seemed to do nothing else but stare at the vicious reptile bearing down on her. It was then that Orion saw something immensely strange happen: suddenly, a bright light surrounded Mew, and her figure became little else but a brilliantly glowing, white silhouette. The glowing form then began to change, growing, shifting into a much larger figure, and Orion thought for one wild, fleeting moment that Mew was _evolving. _The light then solidified and took shape, however, and Orion saw that this was not at all the case.

Mew had used Transform, and now, standing in front of Orion was yet another Tyranitar, except that this one was tinted a soft, Mew-ish pink instead of green. The true Tyranitar halted in its tracks, astonished by the pink doppelganger that had materialized before it. Taking advantage of her opponent's moment of surprise, the Mew-Tyranitar sprang forward, her jagged teeth sinking into the flesh of the Tyranitar's arm.

Orion, awed by what he had just seen, was temporarily distracted from his own Tyranitar, who, though weakened, was not yet unconscious. It growled deeply, snapping Orion back into the reality of the situation, and he turned back to face his adversary. The Tyranitar was clumsily trying to roll over and push itself off the ground, but Orion knew that he had the chance to stop it. Swinging himself around with all the force he could muster, Orion slammed his tail against the Tyranitar's head, which then smashed backwards against the stone wall. Unable to resist the force of the blow, the tyranitar slumped forward, unconscious.

One Tyranitar down, Orion turned immediately to the other, who was still locked together with Mew in a fierce combat. The Tyranitar had Mew, who was still Transformed, in a tight headlock, but Mew was biting down on the Tyranitar's arm with a powerful Crunch. Blood began to ooze from the bite, and eventually the Tyranitar snarled and was forced to let go of Mew from the pain. Mew stood up, backed away, and readied herself for a punch, but the Tyranitar swung its hand forward, and its claws raked across Mew's face.

Mew staggered backward, growling, and responded by swinging her tail at the other Tyranitar's legs, who stumbled from the blow.

Orion knew the battle could be finished faster with his help, so once again, he focussed his mind and reached out into the air. The water from the Hydro Pump that still soaked the floor and walls was drawn towards him once again; it began to swirl around him like a ribbon, and mixed with the blue, aurora-like light that bathed his entire form. The water then rushed forth from his hands, solidifying into a jagged beam of harsh, white crystals, and the Ice Beam connected with the Tyranitar in a crackling, icy explosion.

The Tyranitar let out a thunderous roar. The Ice Beam froze every inch of rocky, scaly skin it came into contact with, causing it to crack and blister from the cold. The Tyranitar tried to dodge out of the way of the relentless beam, but its upper body was stiff, frozen, icicles jutting from its arms, chest, and head. Its movements became awkward, its cries became more of pain than of anger, and it fell backward against the wall. Mew, seizing the opportunity, leapt forward and dealt the final blow, a devastatingly powerful uppercut to the Tyranitar's jaw.

The great, hulking mass of the pokémon slackened and crashed to the floor. The sound of it falling over was loud and rumbling, and Orion was sure that if, by some chance, no one had heard the battle that had just transpired, than they would have surely heard _that._

"There," gasped Orion, letting out a long, deep breath, as if he had been holding it for awhile. "Wow."

Mew smiled, and it was a cheerful, comforting smile despite the fact that she was still a giant, pink tyranitar. Realizing her current state, she became enveloped in the brilliant, white light again and quickly Transformed back to her normal form.

"Good job, Orion," she said, still smiling.

Orion looked incredulous. "What? _Me? _You should have seen yourself fight!" he exclaimed between breathless pants. "That was… amazing! I didn't know you could Transform!"

Mew chuckled. "Oh, yes, normally I don't feel the need to, but…" She paused as a devious grin crossed her lips. "Well, I can Transform into anything, really."

And again, she was glowing with that same, white light, and her shape began to shift into something different, larger, just as it had when she had Transformed into the Tyranitar. This time, however, the form she had assumed was even more shocking, if possible, and Orion couldn't stop his mouth from hanging open dumbly.

"You can't be _serious_," exclaimed Orion, agog at the image before him.

Mew had perfectly assumed the form of a Mewtwo, albeit a delicate pink one, with eyes larger and bluer than any of the others. Mew laughed at Orion's expression, and placed her three-fingered hands onto her widened, Mewtwo hips.

"It's quite an entertaining ability, I'll admit," she chuckled. "Perhaps I can teach you how to do it sometime. But for now, we still have Mewtwo to rescue."

"Oh… right, of course," said Orion, blushing with slight embarrassment that he had forgotten the much more important task at hand. "All right, let's check the cells. He has to be in one of them."

Mew nodded, and changed back into herself in a white flash of light. Orion then began to race down the hallway, Mew speeding along beside him, looking into the cells as he ran. Every cell he passed was empty… empty… empty—

And then, suddenly, when they had nearly reached the end of the hallway, Mew and Orion finally found an occupied cell. The prisoner, who was pressed eagerly against the front of his cage, hands wrapped around the bars, was just who they expected. Mewtwo.

"Mewtwo!" Orion and Mew cried out, relieved to see that Mewtwo was there—imprisoned, yes, but safe and healthy as far as they could tell.

Mewtwo, though his eyes were wide with astonishment and his mouth curved into an delighted smile, he didn't speak. Even more curious, Orion couldn't see any sort of additional security placed on the cell—there was nothing stopping Mewtwo from escaping except for the set of metal bars to which Mewtwo's hands were gleefully clenched. Why didn't he simply blast them aside with his powers?

But then Orion noticed something else peculiar—there was a thick metal ring wrapped around Mewtwo's neck like a collar. Perhaps it was preventing him from using his powers? As if reading Orion's thoughts, Mewtwo began to gesture wildly at the collar, pulling at it, as if to say that he wanted it to be taken off.

"He can't use his powers," murmured Mew, and she waved her paw in front of her. The bars, buckling under her psychic force, bent away from each other and left a hole large enough for Mewtwo to pass through. He did so quickly, eager to be freed from his prison.

"I'll take care of that collar," said Orion. He placed his hands on either side of Mewtwo's neck, and then quickly drew them away. The collar pulled apart effortlessly, grinding from the force tugging at it before splitting in two and clattering to the floor. Mewtwo, heaving a sigh of relief, rubbed his neck where the metal had chafed against his skin.

"Thank you!" he gasped, surprising both Orion and Mew by pulling them into a tight embrace. "I—I never imagined… I can't… I… thank you. I could hear you battling, and—and—oh, just thank you so much. Both of you."

Orion smiled. "You're plenty welcome, Mewtwo—but I'm afraid we can't waste any more time here. Do you know where Nova is?"

"No, I don't," said Mewtwo quietly, a pained expression crossing his face. "They took her away from me… Chaos wanted us to be separated…"

"All right, well there are only two other cell blocks in the HQ," said Orion quickly. "We can check chose and—"

But Orion didn't have the chance to finish his sentence, for he was interrupted by the sound of loud, running footsteps at the other end of the hallway. Suddenly, five people materialized from the stairwell—two clad in scientists' lab coats, the others in Rocket attire—and the scientist leading them pointed directly at Orion, Mewtwo, and Mew.

"There!" he shouted. "Mewtwo's escaped!"

The humans began to run towards them, some drawing poke-balls as they went, but Orion was quicker. His eyes began to glow a fierce blue, and the Rockets were knocked unconscious by the powerful Psywave. Their bodies went limp and collapsed to the floor, not far from the two guards Orion had knocked out earlier.

"There'll be more," Orion hissed. "Quickly—both of you grab my hand!"

Mewtwo and Mew obeyed the command and firmly clasped both of Orion's outstretched hands. A second later, they all disappeared, whisked away in a flash of light.

—————————————

When they reappeared, Orion, Mewtwo, and Mew found themselves in a hallway much like the one they had just left—dark, cold, and lined with barred cells.

"There's only one more cell-block after this one," said Orion in a hushed voice, his eyes flitting back and forth as if searching out more Rockets. "It's on the floor above. You two check these cells for Nova and I'll teleport to the next floor and check there. We'll save more time that way."

"Very well," answered Mewtwo with a nod. "Good idea."

Orion then turned away and vanished while Mewtwo and Mew took off down the hall. The hallway blurred past them as they raced along, and Mewtwo's chest felt as if it were becoming tighter and tighter with each empty cell that they passed. By the end of it, there was no sign of Nova.

"She's… she's not here," said Mewtwo, his voice sounding tight and strained.

"No reason to worry—it's entirely possible that she's on the next floor," said Mew softly, but what she didn't admit to Mewtwo was that she couldn't sense Nova's presence anywhere in the vicinity.

Mewtwo began to clench and unclench his fists, pacing distractedly as he did, and when it seemed as though he was nearly ready to cry out with worry, Orion reappeared right before them. Mewtwo only had to look at Orion's grim expression to know that he hadn't returned with good news.

"I… I couldn't find her," said Orion, and he had to look away from Mewtwo, whose eyes had suddenly glistened over with fear and anger and panic.

"Then she could be anywhere!" said Mewtwo, his voice sounding oddly high and unsteady. "She—she could still be in the labs…or…or what if she's been moved? How are we going to find her now?"

Orion rubbed his brow and closed his eyes. "I—I don't know. Just don't panic," he said. "Listen, I know what we can do. These cells are very close to one level of the Team Rocket labs. In fact, if we just go down to the end of the hallway and take a turn, we'll be in a hallway that leads directly to one of the main laboratories. There are hundreds of scientists working there, and they're always going in and out—if we can grab one of them, we can interrogate them. Surely they'll know whether or not Nova is in the labs."

"And what if she _is _in the labs?" asked Mew. "How are we going to get her out? There'll be so many scientists to get through."

"We'll—we'll just have to _blast _our way through," said Orion. "Stay in the air and destroy everything in our way—trust me, the scientists aren't trained like the Rockets are. They might send out some pokémon to defend themselves, but they're not going to stand around and fight. They're smart enough to know that they won't stand much of a chance against two Mewtwos and a Mew."

"But that's going to draw a lot of attention to ourselves," argued Mew. "Chaos will be there instantly. And that will only complicate things further down the line when we have to go back and fight on Mount Queyna—"

"Mount Queyna?" Mewtwo exclaimed, looking back and forth between Mew and Orion with wide eyes. "Why would we need to battle at Mount Queyna?"

"It's not important right now," said Orion shortly. "We don't have time to explain. We have to get to the labs."

Mewtwo merely nodded at the slight rebuke, knowing better than to pursue the subject at the moment. Nova, after all, was the first priority at the moment, and he wanted to save her more than anything else.

Without further discussion, Orion began to sprint down the hallway, and Mewtwo and Mew quickly fell into place behind him. They moved in silence for nearly a minute, running at a swift pace while Mew glided after them. Finally, they neared the end of the hallway, which was a corner that turned into yet another hallway, and Orion held up his hand for Mewtwo and Mew to stop. Cautiously, Orion craned his neck to see around the corner.

Not far down the corridor was a set of locked, steel doors that Orion knew led into a laboratory. Outside the doors were a computerized keypad and a small camera watching to see who went in and out.

"Do you see anyone?" whispered Mewtwo from behind.

"No," said Orion, squinting. "We'll have to wait a moment."

And so they did wait. They all remained poised just at the hallway's corner, quiet, stiff and ready to spring into action at the briefest notice. Orion and Mewtwo kept their eyes closely focussed on the metal doors while Mew kept an eye on the corridor behind them, just in case any more Rockets were to suddenly appear. In the tense silence that gripped them all, Orion noticed that his heart had started to hammer again in his chest. _We can't evade detection much longer,_ he thought, _someone's going to find us…We're running out of time!_

Two more minutes passed before, finally, one of the metal doors opened. Orion felt all of his nerves, all of his mind, buzzing with anticipation, and he could feel Mewtwo tensing beside him. They both watched closely as a woman dressed in a white lab-coat stepped into the hallway, carrying a clipboard and wearing a stiffly professional expression on her face.

_She'll have to do,_ thought Orion. He knew that what he was about to do next would surely be caught by the camera, but he would have to take that risk. Just as the woman began to walk away down the hallway, Orion stretched out his arm, and the scientist froze as if someone had grabbed her. Orion watched her, and he could see her twitching as she tried to take a step forward, tried to make _any _movement at all, but couldn't. He saw a glimmer of panic flash across her eyes at the sudden paralysis that had taken hold of her, her indifferent expression suddenly changing into a wide-eyed mask of horror.

And then, suddenly, she was lifted into the air. She was visibly struggling now against the invisible force that had possessed her, and Orion knew that she would be screaming now if she had the ability to. With a simple flick of his wrist, Orion began to pull her towards himself. He pulled her through the air with effortless ease, with nothing else but the will of his mind, and, though he could see her trying to thrash, she was powerless to stop it.

Finally, the helpless scientist was pulled around the corner and Orion continued to allow her to hang in the air. She looked down at Orion, Mewtwo and Mew in a silent, paralyzed terror, her mouth moving wordlessly as it tried to free the voice that Orion was suppressing.

"There's no need to panic," said Orion, his voice firm and grave, but very calm. "We have no intention of hurting you, but if you choose to be difficult and refuse our very simple request, then I'm afraid I won't hesitate to inflict pain on you."

The scientist, too frightened to disagree, gave Orion a small, tight nod.

"Very well," continued Orion. "We need to know precisely where Nova is being kept. If you know, you need to tell us very quickly." Orion then glared at her darkly, as if to warn her that there would be punishment if she wasted any of their time.

"N—Nova?" said the woman, her voice hoarse, but restored. "She—she was in one of the labs just moments ago, but Sebastian came to move her. To a new cell. Well, not a cell, actually, but in one of the specialized containment rooms."

"Where? Where in the building is that?"

"A-About four floors above here.," the scientist stammered. "Not f-far from the living quarters. Eastern wing, I think."

Orion narrowed his eyes for a moment. He thought he might know what rooms she was talking about; if he wasn't mistaken, they weren't much different from the sort of living quarters that _he_ had lived in when he had been a Rocket. They were, of course, much smaller, and adjusted for a prisoner, complete with locks and constant surveillance. They were seldom used, and there weren't many.

"And she's on her way there now?" he asked.

"Y-Yes, she was taken away no more than a minute or two ago."

Orion then looked behind himself at Mew and Mewtwo, Mewtwo looking both anxious and hopeful at once.

"If we go now, then," said Mewtwo, "couldn't it be possible to find them?"

"Definitely," replied Orion. "We can beat them to their destination if we teleport immediately." With that said, he turned back to the scientist. "Thank you for your help. As promised, I won't hurt you."

Orion finished by casting yet another Psywave, and the scientist slipped painlessly into unconsciousness as the psychic force washed over her. Carefully, Orion lowered her to the floor, propping her slumbering figure against the wall.

"All right," muttered Orion, taking a deep breath. "Take my hand, and lets get out of here."

Mewtwo and Mew did as they were told, and an instant later, all three had vanished.

—————————

"These are the rooms… they're right here… but I don't see anyone yet."

"Do you think she could already be inside one of them?"

"Hmm…" said Orion, casting a cautious glance down the corridor. "Possibly, but I don't think Sebastian could have gotten away so quickly. I think we should wait for a few more moments."

Mewtwo, though he understood completely why Orion was best-suited to leading this entire operation, bristled slightly. He wasn't used to following orders or to having his suggestions rejected. "Well, there can't be any harm in simply _checking_—"

"All right. Fine. We can check the rooms. But I'm going to have to disable the alarm first before—"

The exchange between Orion and Mewtwo, however, was abruptly cut off—somewhere nearby, they could hear the sound of approaching footsteps. Two sets of footsteps, at least—one was definitely human, with the distinct sound of shoes echoing on the tiled floor, while the other set was more of a muffled shuffling, like someone walking in bare feet. Mewtwo, Orion, and Mew all exchanged an anxious, knowing glance.

The source of the footsteps rounded the corner, and their suspicions were confirmed. Coming towards them were Nova, handcuffed and down-trodden, and an intimidating scientist Mewtwo had never seen before. When Nova and the scientist saw that they were not alone in the hallway, they both froze in shock; the scientist, however, seemed to have paled in horror, whereas Nova's face broke into a smile of wild, unsuppressed joy.

Mewtwo felt a powerful surge in his heart at the sight of Nova, and before anything else, he focussed his mind to break the inhibitor collar clasped around her neck. At this point, several things happened at once: just as the metal ring around Nova's neck began to glow blue, the scientist pulled a poke-ball from his within his lab coat, and just as he was about to throw it, Orion telekinetically smashed the scientist against the wall. The poke ball was sent flying towards the opposite wall, where it hit and clattered to the floor. Whatever pokémon was contained within it, and there was no doubt that it would have been something dark and powerful, like a tyranitar, it had failed to be summoned.

The scientist slumped to the floor with a groan, his teeth grit in pain and his glasses askew. Nova, however, rushed forward, her collar having snapped in two and clattered to the ground. Finding Mewtwo, she threw herself into his arms and buried her face into his shoulder. She took a deep, rattling breath, almost as if she were sobbing.

"Nova," said Mewtwo breathlessly, pressing her against himself as tightly as he could. He could feel his heart pounding with sheer joy, and his mind suddenly light and heady with relief. He had feared he might never see her again, but now, feeling her soft, warm skin and smelling her delicately, sweet, scent, he couldn't have felt happier. Nothing else mattered now except that Nova was in his arms, that she was safe.

The scientist, meanwhile, who was still conscious despite having slammed against the wall, stared at Mewtwo and Nova. Snapping out of his disorientation, his eyes widened in sudden realization at what was happening. He looked from Mewtwo and Nova to the broken inhibitor collar on the floor, shaking his head.

"No, no…" he breathed. "This can't be happening, this can't… no…"

Panicked, he tried to stand up, clawing at the wall for support, but Orion noticed his feeble attempt at an escape.

"Sebastian, just give up," he muttered with a roll of his eyes, and before the scientist could react, he was rendered unconscious by a sudden Psywave.

Mewtwo and Nova, however, were oblivious to everything transpiring around them, too absorbed in their reunion to care that everything else in the world was carrying on without them.

"Mewtwo… Mewtwo," Nova gasped. "I—thought I'd never see you again—I thought I was going to die, and I didn't know where you were or what they were doing to you—Mewtwo…"

"It's all right… It's all right now," whispered Mewtwo. "We're going to be okay now, just---"

But Nova cut him off before he could finish. "Mewtwo," she said, looking up at him suddenly, her eyes wide and strangely anxious. When she spoke, her voice was lower than it had been a moment before, tenser than it had been. "Mewtwo… I… I have to tell you something…"

"Listen, I'm sorry to break up this reunion," interrupted Orion, sounding slightly sheepish, "but… I'm afraid this will have to wait. If we don't get out of here soon—"

But it was Orion's turn to be interrupted, for suddenly, the hallway was illuminated by a bright flash of white light. The group turned toward the source of the light, all of them suddenly paralyzed and helpless with shock; that flash could only be explained by one thing.

There before them, no more than a few feet away, stood Chaos, and the very air around her seemed to pulse with fury. Her golden eyes shone brilliantly with rage, and her gaze was narrowed onto the intruders before her, freezing them there as if by some unseen power.

"You're not going _anywhere_," she hissed at them.

And before anyone had the sense to react, Chaos lunged forward to attack.

* * *

End of Chapter XVIII

If you've read this far, please be kind enough to leave a review! Every comment helps. Really.

Aaaaand… only two more chapters to go!


	19. Supernova

Here it is, baby. The climax (of sorts) that we've all been waiting for. I sincerely hope you enjoy reading it. Also, my apologies for the absolutely terrifying length of it. I didn't expect this chapter to be so long, but I just kept finding things to cram into it. Oi.

**Last Chapter**: Mewtwo and Nova were being held captive in Viridian City, but thankfully our dynamic duo, Orion and Mew, rushed to Team Rocket headquarters to save the day. Much chaos and battling occurred along the way, and just as Mewtwo, Nova, Orion and Mew were about to make their escape and flee to Mount Queyna, Chaos, like the uber-bitch she is, showed up and ruined the party. I trust you all remember the gist of it.

* * *

Shadows Like You

Chapter XIX: _Supernova_

By: Cosmic Mewtwo

* * *

The Mewtwos had little time to react. Eyes flashing with hatred, Chaos lunged forward, her hands furiously outstretched and searching , no doubt, for Nova's neck.

Orion, however, stood between Chaos and the others, and acting as quickly as he could, he generated a Barrier. Chaos was too enraged to expect even such a simple move, and slammed directly into the glowing blue shield. The force of the impact left her shaken, and she stumbled backwards, shaking her head to regain balance.

Orion recognized that Chaos's brief moment of disorientation was the moment to act. He turned to the others, and with wide, furious eyes, shouted, "_Run!"_

The other Mewtwos exchanged a glance, but Orion realized that there was no time for deliberation. "_Run!" _he shouted again, impatient. "Leave! _Go back!"_

The others couldn't argue. Returning to Mount Queyna was clearly their best course of action; Mount Queyna needed to be saved from Team Rocket, after all, and there was no use fighting Chaos in her own headquarters, where she had access to countless pokémon, weapons, and Rockets. Obeying Orion's orders, Mewtwo, Nova and Mew vanished in an instant, teleporting away in three brilliant flashes.

Once the others had left, Orion turned around, facing Chaos once again. They were alone now, the hallway empty save for them and the unconscious form of Dr. Sebastian slumped against the wall.

Chaos, too, had thrown up a Barrier at this point, and the two were left glowering at each other in an apparent stalemate. The hallway was silent save for the hum of the ceiling lights and the electric crackle of their Barriers.

"You idiot," Chaos hissed. "You goddamn idiot! What the hell are you doing? I nearly had her, damn it! I could have killed her right here!"

"What the hell is the matter with you?" demanded Orion. He could barely wrap his head around the situation. It had been a long time since he had seen Chaos, and he knew that she had changed for the worse, but seeing her now made him realize that it was so much worse than he had expected. For too long he had been blinded by his lingering affection for her, but now, seeing the hungry, murderous glint in her eyes, he could see just how she had changed, how her mind had warped and twisted so that she was barely recognizable anymore.

Chaos stared at Orion with wide eyes, her expression hard and disbelieving. "What?" she shot back.

"You---I can't believe you," muttered Orion. "Why are you so determined to hurt Nova? You're—you're _insane! _What is the _matter _with you?"

"Insane?" Chaos snarled, her pupils narrowing almost to slits as she glared. "Nova killed Giovanni—what don't you understand! She killed him, Orion! And every moment since then has been torture, and I will not rest until I see her suffer for her crime!"

Orion felt a sudden anger flicker within him. "Nova would _never_ have killed Giovanni if he hadn't tried to kill her first!" he shouted. "She had to defend herself! She had no choice! And you know what Chaos? None of that would have even happened if _you_ hadn't suggested it to Giovanni in the first place! _You _were the one who gave him the idea to kill her!"

Orion could feel his fists shaking now, tightly clenched and white at the knuckles. He couldn't believe how angry he was at Chaos—and how angry he was with himself. He couldn't believe that only hours before, before he had rescued Mewtwo and Nova, he had actually wanted to come back to Viridian City, to Team Rocket—and to Chaos. How could he have been so blind? How could he have ever cared for the monster before him? The Chaos he had loved was gone; where there had once been a dark, mischievous beauty of a Mewtwo, there was now nothing but a warped psychopath, driven by nothing else but revenge.

Orion couldn't remember the last time he had felt this angry; for too long he had felt empty, numb, and unhappy—and all because of Chaos—but now, confronting her, listening to her try to justify her madness, Orion felt an anger surge within him that he had never felt before.

"You don't understand!" said Chaos.

"Oh?" said Orion, stepping forward, his Barrier grazing Chaos's and a dangerous crackle sounding from where they touched . "Really, Chaos? Then why don't you explain to me—why? Why would you tell Giovanni to kill Nova? Weren't we supposed to be a team? Friends? Why would you want her dead?"

Chaos stepped away, clenching her fists and bracing herself like she was about to attack. "She was a threat to us!" she yelled. "She was a threat to Team Rocket! All she did was question Giovanni and question orders and question everything Team Rocket stood for! It was only a matter of time before she rebelled, before she ruined everything just like Mewtwo had before! I knew it, and Giovanni knew it, too! He would have done it eventually if I hadn't suggested it—"

"Stop it!" shouted Orion. He was too appalled by what Chaos was saying to even hear another word. "I can't listen to this—I can't listen to you try to rationalize the awful things you've done! God, Chaos…" Orion put his hand to his forehead, rubbing his brow as he heaved an angry, weary sigh. "You don't even realize how much you've changed, do you? I don't know what Giovanni did to you, how he blinded you the way he did, but. . . God, Chaos, you're beyond reasoning with. You… you've lost it."

Chaos did not answer Orion. She merely stared at him, her expression cold, and Orion couldn't tell if she was offended by what he had said or merely surprised that he had criticized her at all. For several moments, Chaos merely studied Orion, her gaze raking across him in a frigid, calculating sweep, her gaze finally locking with his as if she were trying to see past his eyes and into his mind itself.

"Where are they?" she finally hissed.

"What?"

"Nova!" said Chaos. "And Mewtwo, and Mew! Where did they go? You told them to leave—obviously you know where they are now!

Orion scoffed. "As if I would tell you."

"They're at Mount Queyna, aren't they?" said Chaos, and a fresh surge of rage seemed to overcome her. "I swear to God, if they're at Mount Queyna—if they're ruining my operation there—I'll kill them, I'll kill them all if I have to, I'll kill you!"

And suddenly Chaos's eyes glowed a fierce yellow, and she unleashed a powerful burst of energy. The entire hallway quaked under the force of her psychic power, and Orion could feel the force ripple across his Barrier, crushing down on him, weakening the barrier and shaking him to the core. He stumbled backwards, and as he did, he could see Chaos lunging forward, ready to unleash another attack.

Orion knew he couldn't fight Chaos alone, and knew that he, too, would have to return to Mount Queyna. Turning away, he began to Teleport, dropping his Barrier just as the familiar flash of light engulfed him. But the split second that his shield was down was more than enough for Chaos, for in that briefest of moments, she seized Orion's wrist and was whisked away with him to Mount Queyna.

* * *

When Mewtwo, Nova, and Mew reappeared, they were back in the vicinity of Mount Queyna, hovering high above the mountain's surrounding valley. The sky was clear and calm in the bright afternoon sunlight, everything crystal and serene except for the dark figure of Mount Queyna looming in the distance. A gentle breeze flowed over the trio while they floated in the air, the clouds drifting lazily just above them. The noon seemed peaceful, and yet Mewtwo felt terribly ill at ease. As he looked from Mew's sullen expression to Mount Queyna in the distance, he realized that something was amiss.

"We can't stay here," said Mew grimly. "We have to go to Mount Queyna. Immediately."

"Mew, what's happening there?" Mewtwo asked, though he was apprehensive for the answer. "You and Orion mentioned earlier that we… that we would have to fight there. What has Team Rocket done?"

Mew looked at Mewtwo, her eyes wide and her tail flitting nervously behind her. Mewtwo's tone was dangerous, and she knew that as soon as she told him what Team Rocket was doing, he would be lost in a blind rage. Mew then looked to Nova, who merely looked tired and bewildered. Nova had no idea what was happening, either. Neither of them knew. With a sigh, Mew realized that they simply had to be told.

"Chaos organized the Rockets to take over Mount Queyna and steal all they can from the healing spring," Mew murmured, looking in the direction of Mount Queyna so she would not have to meet Mewtwo's gaze. "They're taking the water. They've infiltrated the entire mountain and they're stealing the water for themselves. I'm not sure why Chaos is doing this, but—"

"They're stealing?" Mewtwo interrupted sharply. "Stealing? From _my home?_ It wasn't enough for Chaos to come and merely kidnap me and Nova—she had to have her despicable minions come and destroy the only place that means something to me? That is _it! _I'm not putting up with this for a moment longer!"

And Mewtwo began to speed off in the direction of his home, too overwhelmed with rage to even consider another option.

"Mewtwo, wait!" Nova cried.

Mewtwo slowed and turned his head, but wouldn't come to a complete stop. "No, Nova. We're ending this now! Every second we waste here deliberating is another second that Team Rocket has to ruin Mount Queyna! I refuse to let them get away with this!" And then he turned away and continued on.

Nova looked at Mew, who didn't answer, but merely followed after Mewtwo. Nova was left with no choice but to go, too, but really, what else was there to do? Team Rocket had to be stopped, Mount Queyna had to be saved, and Mewtwo was absolutely right; stalling now would accomplish nothing.

And so the trio flew onward, the wind rushing over them and the sun gleaming down on them as they approached the mountain. There would be no surprise attack on Team Rocket; it would be impossible for the three pokémon to conceal themselves, or to stop the Rockets from seeing them in the bright, clear sunlight. It would have to be a full-on and immediate attack as soon as they arrived.

The mountain loomed closer. Soon, the Mewtwos and Mew were flying over the lip of the caldera, over the sparkling lake and towards the island in the centre. Even from where they were, they could see Team Rocket planes and helicopters stationed on the lake's shores, some even on the island itself. It was obvious that this was a large-scale operation; Chaos had clearly put a considerable amount of planning into it.

"Put up your Barriers," Mewtwo ordered, "they'll open fire on us if they see us unshielded."

Nova and Mew nodded, and the three pokémon became surrounded by glowing Barriers. Protected, they flew until they reached the island, and here, they slowly began their descent.

Mewtwo was disgusted by what he saw. The entire island, which had once been pure, beautiful and unspoiled by humans was now crawling with Rockets, hundreds of them, all clad in the same black uniforms and scurrying over everything that Mewtwo considered his territory. There wasn't a single part of the island that wasn't touched by large, alien pieces of machinery and crowds of busy Rockets, all of them working with the speed and efficiency of a small army.

Mewtwo could feel a raw anger building within his chest, a dangerous anger that threatened to catch on and burn into an unholy rage. He wanted to scream and roar and let the Rockets know just how furious he was, and he nearly did when he caught a glimpse of the healing spring. The healing spring was the most beautiful place in all of Mount Queyna, and yet there, too, were the Rockets, all of them milling around the water, them and their machines draining the precious liquid into giant metal water tanks.

Mewtwo couldn't believe this. This was his home. His paradise. And yet there was Team Rocket, dark and foul and unnatural, a presence as evil as the serpent in Eden, tainting everything they touched, spoiling what had once been beautiful and pure.

He wasn't going to stand for it.

Mewtwo quickened his descent, moving toward the spring, Nova and Mew in close pursuit. As they neared, it became harder to escape the Rockets' notice, and soon there were grunts pointing and shouting, finally realizing that there was an intruder in their midst.

The Mewtwos finally came to a halt above the spring, floating in the air at least twenty or so feet above the water. Here, Team Rocket could plainly see them, but there was little if anything they could do. Their Barriers would protect them against any human weapon, and the dark pokémon on the ground had no means of getting near them.

The Rockets seemed to realize their disadvantage, and confusion immediately broke out. There were cries and shouts as the commanding Rocket officers tried to give orders, as some tried to run away, and some began to call out their pokémon.

"They're defenceless," said Nova.

"For the better," growled Mewtwo. "This is the last time that Team Rocket filth will ever grace my home!"

And with that, Mewtwo outstretched his arms, and with his eyes glowing a fierce blue, a powerful surge of psychic energy began to pulse and crackle around him. The Rockets wouldn't stand a chance.

* * *

Just as Chaos watched everything around her vanish in a hasty blur, a new setting seemed to spring up before her just as quickly as the last one vanished. As the Teleport finished, she found herself far away from the hallway in the Team Rocket headquarters, far away from Viridian City itself; now, she was floating high above a vast, green valley with a single mountain looming in its centre. Mount Queyna.

Chaos turned to face Orion, her hand still tightly wrapped around his wrist. A manic grin spread across her lips.

"I knew you would all come running back here to Mount Queyna," she hissed.

"No," said Orion, shaking his head and frantically trying to pull his hand away. "No—you're not supposed to be here—the Teleport—you—you—"

Chaos looked towards the mountain, paying little attention to Orion's distress. "It's no matter. If I have to kill Nova here instead of Viridian City, then so be it, as long as I see her die!"

Chaos then let go of Orion's wrist and sped off abruptly in the direction of Mount Queyna. Bewildered by everything that had happened in the past few moments, Orion was left floating where he was, almost too paralyzed by shock to do anything at all.

"No!" he cried, and lunged forward to race after her. She was already far ahead, but had been too hasty to make a Barrier; seeing this weakness, Orion charged a Shadow Ball between his fingertips and hurled it at Chaos with all the force he could muster.

Chaos heard the dark ball of energy ripping a path towards her, but only a moment too late; just as she turned to deflect the attack, it struck her in the centre of her chest and threw her immediately off-course. Chaos was sent plummeting through the air as she tried to process what had just happened, but regained her senses and threw up a Barrier just as Orion unleashed a powerful Thunderbolt in her direction.

Chaos slowed to a stop, shaken and disoriented by the blow, but hovering evenly in the air once again. Orion's Thunderbolt hit her and rippled across her Barrier in a jagged web of sparks, and Chaos felt nearly shaken with relief that she had put up her Barrier when she had. Had she been struck by the attack, there was a good chance she would have been temporarily paralyzed, and Orion would surely have won.

"You fool!" she screamed back at him. "You're not going to stop me!"

And she sped off once again towards Mount Queyna. Orion, however, followed closely behind, and hurled yet another Shadow Ball at her at a dizzying speed. The sphere slammed into Chaos's Barrier, and though she was protected from the main force of the attack, the shock of the blow shook her considerably and sent her spinning off-course. She swore loudly, and spent several moments tumbling clumsily through the air before she managed to steady herself once again and slow to a stop.

By this point, Orion had flown past her and now stood between her and Mount Queyna. He hovered in place, above Chaos, glowering down at her with a fierceness that Chaos had never seen in him before.

"God damn it, Orion, stay out of this!" Chaos shouted. "You can't win this! You know I'm a better fighter than you!"

Orion's glare did not falter. "I can't just step aside and let you kill Nova! Stop this, Chaos! You don't have to do this!"

Chaos was about to argue, but suddenly she was interrupted by a series of distant bangs coming from the mountain itself. At first she thought that it might be thunder, but on a day as clear and bright as this, a storm simply wasn't a possibility. Both Mewtwos turned their gazes upon the mountain to find the source of the explosive noise and saw what appeared to be clouds of dark smoke billowing from the mountain's summit. As they watched, there were then several bright flashes of light, and yet more bangs, and still more smoke.

Chaos's eyes opened wide with horror. The ominous smoke rising from the mountain could not possibly mean anything good; if anything, it meant that the mission atop Mount Queyna was going horribly wrong, and no doubt Nova and Mewtwo were to blame. Chaos shook her head, back and forth, suddenly paralyzed with panic. After all her planning, after all her work, there was her operation up in smoke, and with it, her credibility as Team Rocket's boss. The Mount Queyna mission was supposed to be her grand success, her moment of triumph, and yet there it was, falling to pieces.

Slowly, Chaos felt her panic begin to ebb away, and in its place, a powerful rage filled her until her very body shook with it. _No, no… After all my work… this can't… no!_

Screaming with rage, Chaos raced forward, unconcerned that Orion was directly in her path. Orion began to form another Shadow Ball in his hands, but, with fury and adrenaline pulsing through every nerve in her body, Chaos was faster.

"_Get - out - of - my - WAY!"_ she roared, and as she did, a bright sphere of psychic energy formed around her and then expanded violently, sending a tremendous shockwave that rippled across the valley and shook the very air itself. Orion focussed all his energy into maintaining his Barrier, but it couldn't withstand the enormous force and finally dissolved under Chaos's sheer power. With a cry of surprise, Orion was sent spinning backwards, unable to avoid the shockwave as it slammed into him.

Winded, Orion was too disoriented to fight back, and Chaos flew over him with dizzying speed. Delirious with rage, Chaos didn't care what was waiting for her on Mount Queyna; all that mattered was that Nova was there, and that Nova needed to die, and that Chaos was ready to do absolutely anything to see that happen.

* * *

Team Rocket was powerless against the Mewtwos' assault. One after the other, Nova, Mewtwo and Mew blasted the area below with surges of powerful psychic energy, obliterating every piece of machinery in sight and knocking out any Rocket who chose to get in the way. It was not their intention to kill the Rockets, merely to chase them away; fortunately, most were cowardly enough to run, although more than a handful were lost in the fiery blasts. The Rockets' pokémon on the ground put up a valiant effort despite their disadvantage—the Houndoom spewed jets of flame, the Tyranitar unleashed powerful Hyper Beams—but the Mewtwos were too fast and too high up to be hit by most attacks.

Nova zipped through the air amidst the chaos, dodging attacks and hoping her Barrier would hold, while blowing up anything on the ground that belonged to Team Rocket. Mewtwo and Mew had their hands just as full; Mewtwo was attacking everything in sight with a vicious fury, roaring and crying out as he attacked, while Mew flitted about quickly and silently, sweeping the area with her Psywave and leaving dozens of Rockets unconscious in her wake.

_This is too easy_, thought Nova suspiciously, serving to the side to avoid a blinding Hyper Beam that rushed past her. _They aren't even fighting back!_

It was then that Nova noticed a fresh wave of Rockets pouring from the stone stairwell that served as the entrance to the healing spring, and as they spilled out into the sunlight, they began tossing forth a barrage of black poke balls. The ground below suddenly swam in red light as the pokémon leapt from their poké-balls and materialized in mid-air.

_Oh, great, the combat unit finally shows up_, Nova realized, gritting her teeth in anger. And with them, they had brought a small army of flying pokémon that would finally be able to reach the Mewtwos. Nova could barely even count the different pokémon that were suddenly flying in her direction; there were Dragonite and Charizard, Pidgeot and Crobat, a gang of Murkrow, and even a handful of ghost pokémon, and still more after them, as far as Nova could tell. And each pokémon looked angry and ready for battle, perfectly trained to combat any adversary, no matter how powerful.

But Nova, too, had been well-trained by Team Rocket, and she had confidence that she could make easy work of the task ahead, especially with Mewtwo and Mew at her side. Quickly, a powerful Shadow Ball began to crackle from her fingertips, but just as she was about to launch it at the first wave of pokémon, something interrupted her.

As if being hit by a powerful tidal wave, Nova felt an enormous force slam into her from behind. She was sent spinning forward at an alarming speed until she collided with the rocky outcrop that surrounded the spring, her Barrier evaporating instantly upon impact. Her body aching from the collision, she fell and slumped onto a rocky ledge, too disoriented to move or speak or even process what had just happened. And then, just as she was about to catch the breath that had been knocked from her, a thunderous ringing noise rippled across the mountain, and her head was suddenly engulfed in a searing pain. Squeezing her eyes shut, Nova grabbed at her temples and cried out, while below, she could hear the Rockets and their pokémon crying and roaring in agony; whatever attack Nova had been struck with had apparently struck them, too.

"What—what's going on?" someone called out, and Nova, despite her pain, could recognize the strained voice as Mewtwo's.

Forcing her eyes open, Nova looked to her side and saw that Mewtwo had fallen onto the same ledge as her, only a few meters away. He was half-standing, half-clinging to the rock face for support, but his body was slowly buckling from the pain.

Nova swallowed hard, trying to find the energy to speak. "It must be—it must be Chaos!" she finally cried out.

Finally, the ringing stopped, as whatever shockwave had caused it finally subsided. Nova felt her mind slowly clear, and the pain that had blinded her only a moment before was suddenly gone.

Mewtwo, catching his breath and struggling to his feet, quickly looked up. "You're right, it had to have been Chaos," he murmured darkly. "Only a Mewtwo could have created an attack that powerful. Come on, get up, she'll be here soon—we have to be ready."

Nova nodded, and complied as Mewtwo helped her to her feet. Once she was up, Mew flew suddenly to where they were standing, looking deeply uneasy.

"Put up your Barriers, you two!" she urged them. "Team Rocket's pokémon will have their bearings back in a moment, and we can't—"

But Mew was cut off by the roar of a Dragonite that was quickly approaching them. Mewtwo and Nova quickly shielded themselves with psychic Barriers just in time to withstand the force of a powerful Hyper Beam.

Mewtwo and Nova attempted to fly away from the Dragonite, but the Hyper Beam had their Barriers engulfed with a blinding light, and they could barely see where they were going. And then, just as the Dragonite pulled away, receding its Hyper Beam, they were suddenly surrounded by a whirlwind of flames as a Charizard below attacked with a Fire Blast.

"Damn it, we're completely surrounded!" Nova cursed, and knew that they would be completely cornered soon if they didn't fight back.

Crying out above the anarchy, Nova began to unleash a series of powerful Psychic blasts, and Mewtwo and Mew followed suit with similar attacks. The pokémon below screamed out in agony as their minds and bodies alike were assaulted by the powerful psychic blows, and the ones that weren't knocked unconscious immediately were then attacked by a series of crackling Thunderbolts from Nova.

Powerful though they were, the pokémon stood little chance against the Mewtwos' might. The first line of pokémon tumbled toward the ground, defeated; Nova watched as a Dragonite, two Charizard, and a Pidgeot fell to the ground, while the pokémon just after them flew weakly and unsteadily, clearly affected by the first barrage of attacks.

Mewtwo and Mew resumed their defence by unleashing a series of Shadow Balls, then Psybeams, and yet another Dragonite was hit and defeated. Nova, meanwhile, launched an Ice Beam at a Fearow viciously trying to stab at her with its needle-like beak, and then threw a Thunderbolt at a Crobat that had succeeded in spitting a large glob of Sludge onto the surface of her Barrier; both pokémon fell to the ground, crying and hissing in pain.

Yet another wave of flying pokémon then began to advance upon the Mewtwos, but Mewtwo, Nova and Mew managed to fly higher and faster, no longer surrounded and trapped. As they rocketed upwards through the air, the three unleashed a fresh barrage of Shadow Balls, the crackling black spheres dropping onto their victims like falling meteors. They watched as a Charizard was knocked unconscious mid-Flamethrower, and another Fearow was defeated as well, and both crashed into the pokémon below.

"My God, they just don't give up!" Nova cried breathlessly, and was just about to fire another Thunderbolt when something considerably more important caught her attention.

Something was flying directly towards them, not from below, but from out in the distance surrounding Mount Queyna. The thing, whatever it was, flew at a furious pace, and appeared as little more than an electric blue streak in the sky. As it neared, Nova could see that a similar figure was racing just behind it, and as it came closer still, Nova could discern the unmistakable shape of a Mewtwo surrounded by a Barrier. A black Mewtwo, shielded by a brilliant sphere of psychic energy. And the figure pursuing her had to be Orion.

"Chaos," Nova breathed, her lungs tightening at the sound of the name

"Oh, splendid," Mewtwo muttered bitterly, and then, raising his voice to a shout, proclaimed. "All right, we all have to attack her at once!"

"But the other pokémon!" shouted Mew, pointing below to the flying pokémon barrelling upward in their direction.

"I'll take Chaos!' yelled Nova. "You take care of the rest!"

Mewtwo was about to protest, but Nova had already flown away, directly towards the furious blue streak racing towards her. With a wave of her hands, she formed another Shadow Ball and prepared to throw it at Chaos. Finally, when Chaos was within striking distance, Nova hurled the sphere forward. Chaos made an attempt to swerve upward and out of the way, but she couldn't move fast enough, and the Shadow Ball collided with her Barrier. An electric sparking noise rang out, and Chaos was sent flying backwards toward Orion, who quickly prepared and launched yet another Shadow Ball. This, too, struck Chaos, and she was sent flying off at an entirely different angle. Battered and disoriented from the blows, Chaos could not slow herself to a stop for several moments, and, unable to maintain her concentration, her Barrier faded to a blue wisp and vanished altogether.

Seeing that Chaos was temporarily weakened, Nova took the available moment to shout to Orion. "Orion! You have to help the others! I'll take Chaos!"

"What? No, you can't face her alone, Nova, you—"

"Just go! We can't fight her properly until Team Rocket's pokémon are defeated completely!"

"But—"

"Just go, Orion!"

Below, Orion could see Mewtwo and Mew grappling with a crowd of ghost pokémon that had suddenly swarmed them—perhaps they _did_ need help. Resigning himself to the task, Orion dove downwards, leaving Nova alone to Chaos.

Orion gone, Nova looked back to Chaos, only to find that she had already recovered from the attack and was now circling the island below, apparently disinterested in the battle at hand. Even from a distance, however, Nova could tell that Chaos was distressed; her movements were short and erratic, her tail twitched back and forth agitatedly, and her eyes were wide and manic.

"My—my operation!" she yelled, her voice shrill and desperate, her hands clutching at her head. Paralyzed, she could only stare in horror at the carnage below—machines destroyed, Rockets slain, water tanks blown apart, and smoke swelling in dark clouds from the damage that been wrought on Mount Queyna. Hundreds of thousands of dollars, gone; the mission had been a complete failure. The Rockets remaining below moved frantically, trying to save who and what they could, trying to salvage whatever equipment could be saved, and trying to remove the injured from harm's way. The rest remained fully concentrated on the combat at hand, shouting orders to the pokémon fighting, and retrieving the ones that had already faced defeat.

Chaos went on, her voice trembling with rage. "My… my mission, ruined!… No! This is all _your_ fault!" Chaos's then whipped around suddenly to face Nova, and her eyes were obscured with a vicious blue glow. Suddenly, rough wisps of psychic energy began to surround her entirely, and without warning, a jagged beam of blue light leapt from Chaos, aimed directly at Nova.

Nova cried out in surprise, but responded in time by blasting her own Psybeam at Chaos. The two psychic beams met halfway between them in a blinding explosion, but both Mewtwos refused to cease their attack. The repulsive force of the colliding Psybeams was enormous, and Nova could hardly find the energy to maintain the attack, but she knew that if she were to let go now, she would be blasted by Chaos's sheer power. Focussing her entire mind on the task at hand, Nova forced the energy from her fingertips, energy crackling violently all around her, and she could feel the force of Chaos pushing against her, weakening her and draining her tired mind and body. Involuntarily, Nova cried out in pain and exhaustion..

Below, amidst the melee of the attacking Team Rocket pokémon, Mewtwo heard his mate's call of distress. He looked up, pulling away from the Haunter who was attempting to cast a Nightshade attack on him, and called to Orion and Mew.

"She can't fight Chaos alone!" he roared. "I have to go help her! Chaos is too powerful!"

"Fine!" shouted Orion above the roars and battle cries and the general cacophony of battle. He flipped around, unleashing a Psywave at a Misdreavus approaching from behind. "You two are the best fighters here—you'll stand a better chance against Chaos. We'll take care of the rest!"

Without another word, Mewtwo shot up into the sky towards Chaos, and Orion and Mew were left to fight against the rest of the pokémon. Most of the flying pokémon had been taken out by this point, and Team Rocket now had Orion and Mew surrounded by an eerie mob of ghost pokémon. They were proving to be considerably trickier than the flying pokémon; their ghost-type properties meant that there was no attack with a type-advantage over them, and physical attacks were completely out of the question. Worse still, Barriers were useless against them; they could pass through them with effortless ease.

Orion suddenly found himself surrounded by a troop of Haunter, all of them grinning darkly at him, their large eyes narrowed with a sinister glee. He avoided looking them in the eyes, for every time he did, he could feel the powerful lull of Hypnosis coming over him; he had to shake himself and look away; he couldn't fall asleep, not now, not when there was so much fighting to do. And yet, even though he resisted their hypnotic gazes, he could still feel himself weakening with every moment that passed, and he began to suspect that one of the ghosts had cast Curse upon him.

Orion swallowed, his throat dry and tight, and began to charge a Psybeam._Just keep fighting, don't think, just keep fighting. _He struck one of the Haunter with the beam; it was enveloped with electric, pulsating light, and went down shrieking. Just as Orion prepared to launch another attack, the other ghosts moved in and attacked; one swept its hand over him and he was suddenly engulfed in a terrifying blackness that seemed to seize his whole mind and body, and for a moment he couldn't move or breathe or think. He had fallen victim to a Nightshade attack, and a powerful one at that. Orion focussed his mind and began to draw upon his powers, until finally the blackness dispersed, leaving him even more tired and drained than before.

He struck the Haunter with another Psybeam, but just as it fainted, the Haunter behind him floated up and over him, spewing forth a Sludge Bomb that covered Orion in a torrent of thick, acidic venom. Psychic types had the advantage of being largely resistant to poison, but even Orion could not ignore the acidic burn spreading like fire across his skin. He screamed out in pain, and tried using his telekinesis to strip the viscous ooze from himself, but the ghosts only continued to attack; another Nightshade paralyzed his mind, then a spray of Acid, even a Shadow Ball struck him, and all the Haunter just grinned and cackled at his misfortune. Orion called out for help, hoping Mew would hear him, but she was desperately fending off a swarm of Misdreavus and was deaf to Orion's plea.

Gritting his teeth, Orion tried to ignore the pain, tried to concentrate enough just to unleash one more Psywave. _Have to keep fighting, can't stop now—_it was going to be a long battle.

Just above Orion, only a little further up in the sky, Chaos and Nova continued to square off, seemingly oblivious to the struggles below. Nova's eyes were closed, her teeth gritted, her entire being on the brink of exhaustion, while Chaos's eyes were wide and shining with a delirious fury, her every nerve alive with hate and anger. Then, just when it seemed that Nova was about to run out of energy and drop her Psybeam, Mewtwo swooped up from below and spun a large, crackling Shadow Ball in Chaos's direction. Chaos was too absorbed with Nova to notice and only reacted at the last second, when it was too late. She made a feeble effort to dodge the attack, but it collided with her Barrier and jolted her backwards. The shock forced her to drop her Psybeam, and in turn, she was struck by Nova's.

The energy engulfed her completely, rushing through her and swirling around her Barrier like an aurora, shades of blue and purple twisting and leaping around her as the power of the attack seized her like electricity. She screamed in surprise and pain, and was rendered motionless, paralyzed, as she was tossed backward in the air, powerless against the sheer force of the Psybeam.

Nova gasped in relief that it was Chaos who had been struck, not her, and she slumped forward in the air, struggling against the exhaustion that threatened to consume her entirely. Her head throbbed, her body ached, and the nausea she had suffered that morning began to rise within her again, twisting her stomach and blurring her mind with a terrible dizziness.

Everything hurt; the whole world seemed to spin. How much longer could she go on fighting like this?

_No, don't give up now, don't give up, _urged a desperate voice from the back of her mind. _You have to make it through this—for Mewtwo—for the baby! You can't let Chaos win!_

Nova lifted her tired head, and looked back to Chaos. Still disoriented from the Psybeam, Chaos was unable to regain her senses in time to protect herself from Mewtwo, who was now blasting her with a stream of his own psychic energy. Though she had thrown up a Barrier as a defence, it was quickly withering under Mewtwo's power, and she was left to cry and scream in pain and anger. Mewtwo pressed on, oblivious to Chaos's cries, his cold glare fixed steadily on his quarry. It was obvious that Chaos's pain meant nothing to him; she could have burst into flames or disintegrated into a million pieces under his attack, and he wouldn't have even flinched.

Then, just when it seemed as though Chaos's was about to lose her Barrier and be blasted into oblivion by Mewtwo's attack, she closed her eyes and vanished in a flash of white light—she used Teleport. Mewtwo snarled and spun around, knowing exactly where she would reappear, and he was right; by the time he had spun around, Chaos had already reappeared behind him and flung a Shadow Ball before he could even think of an attack. The spinning, black orb hit his Barrier with a resounding shockwave of noise, and he in turn was sent reeling backward towards the mountain.

_No…_thought Nova darkly, her weariness suddenly burning up in a fresh wave of anger. _No, she _cannot _hit Mewtwo like that! No one hurts my mate and gets away with it!_

And so Nova charged forward, her mind a dizzy, delirious blur of fury, her body aching and nauseous, but alive and energized with a sudden surge of adrenaline. She narrowed her eyes on her target and pushed on, desperate to stop Chaos once and for all.

* * *

Domino refused to panic. No—there was no time for panicking now, not with her entire mission falling apart before her eyes. God, why had Chaos put her in charge of this disaster, this mission that she had known had been doomed from the beginning? She had never seen an operation like this go quite so wrong, not in all her years as a Rocket—not even the first Mount Queyna mission had gone this badly. But she tried not to think about that. She had to stay calm. She had to think. Damage control. She knew the mission was beyond salvaging—what could possibly be done now?

Domino was running through the island's tunnels, running and thinking as fast as she possibly could, toward the healing spring—toward the source of all the destruction. She had known from the very first explosion, from the very first blasts and shockwaves that had struck the island, that something had gone horribly wrong. More importantly, she had known that only the Mewtwos could be to blame, and that the entire mission was doomed as a result.

And so she was running to the healing spring, all the way from the opposite side of the island—_God damn it, whose idea was it to have me stationed on the opposite side of the island_?—hoping bitterly that something, anything could be done to minimize the damage that had already been done.

Domino was pulled from her furious train of thought when the walkie-talkie at her waist suddenly crackled. She grabbed it quickly; no doubt it was the combat unit trying to contact her, which of course meant that something new had gone unimaginably wrong.

"What is it?" she barked into the walkie-talkie.

"Agent 009, we can't hold off the Mewtwos for much longer," crackled the voice at the other end. "They've completely destroyed our flying pokémon, and the ghosts are nearly finished."

Domino did not feel angry at the news, or even disappointed; it was exactly as she expected. As an experienced Rocket, she knew all too well how powerful a Mewtwo was; no normal pokémon could ever hope to stand a chance against a Mewtwo. A Mewtwo was not a normal pokémon, after all, but rather a living, breathing war machine; it came as no surprise, then, that the Mewtwos had defeated everything that had been thrown at them. Domino had helped train the Mewtwos herself, and knew perfectly well what they were capable of.

"Very well," said Domino, almost robotically. "Just wait until I get to the spring. I'll give my orders there. Until then, just send out whatever pokémon you have left that can strike them from a distance, psychic pokemon, I guess, and just try to get as many Rockets out of there safely as you can."

Domino then turned off the walkie-talkie. Any further communication between her and the Rockets on the surface was useless—there was nothing she could do.

And so she kept running. She turned a corner in the tunnel, and knew she was getting closer to the staircase that would lead her to the healing spring. Not there was much she could do once she actually arrived at the spring—how could she win against three Mewtwos and a Mew?

As Domino thought about it, she started to feel angry. She wasn't angry that the mission had failed, no—although that didn't make her particularly happy, either—rather, it was the fact that she had_known_ from the beginning that this was all going to happen that angered Domino.

Every time Team Rocket had ever gone head to head with a Mewtwo, it was Team Rocket that had always come away battered and bruised. The first Mewtwo was evidence enough of this; twice had the original Mewtwo proved to be a complete disaster for Team Rocket. The latest three were no different, of course; Domino had felt apprehensive even before their creation, and her worst fears had been brutally realized with Giovanni's death. Everything had only gone downhill from there, and this latest scheme of Chaos's was no different. The very moment that Chaos had informed Domino of her plans to kill Nova, Domino had foreseen nothing but catastrophic failure.

And, as if Domino herself were psychic, her grim predictions had held true: here they were, in the middle of one of the most catastrophic failures in the entire history of Team Rocket.

But Domino tried not to think about that. She had done what she could, hadn't she? She had warned Chaos, she had told her what would happen, what _always_ happened when Mewtwos were involved, but of course Chaos had been stubborn, just like every Rocket boss before her. But Domino tried to focus her thoughts elsewhere; bitterness and what-if's were of no use to her now.

Finally, the tunnel Domino was travelling through opened up into a wider chamber where, on one side, it overlooked the lake and surroundings of the island, while on the other, there were two stone staircases that led upwards into inky darkness. Without stopping, Domino sprinted for the staircase that would take her to the spring.

Domino bounded up the steps, bracing herself for the chaotic scene that she knew would be waiting for her at the top. A weaker Rocket in her position would have begun panicking by this point, but Domino was perfectly calm and composed. If anything, she was just too weary and drained by this whole, disastrous mission to even find energy to panic.

Domino reached the final step of the staircase, but before she could bring herself to step out into the sunlight, she took one, deep breath._Well, here goes,_ she thought bitterly.

Slowly, Domino stepped out onto the grass of the healing spring and was immediately immersed in a dizzying current of chaos. Trying to ignore the noise and flurry of activity around her, Domino first tried to take stock of what damage had been done: she noticed first that every piece of machinery within sight was completely ruined—every water tank was broken and cracked, every pipe was crushed and twisted, and some of the wreckage was even still burning, if only faintly. Unconscious Rockets—some dead—littered the ground, while their frightened and confused pokémon ran aimlessly around the area. The Rockets who weren't unconscious were all furiously busy, either screaming orders at the pokémon battling in the sky, trying to save the hurt Rockets, or merely trying to escape themselves. By the spring's edge, Domino could even see a group of scientists scrambling desperately to collect a few meagre samples of the spring water, seeing as the water tanks obviously weren't going to serve their purpose.

Domino then looked upward and saw where the true source of the chaos was. Up in the sky, she could see Chaos facing off against Nova and Mewtwo, the three of them dominating the sky like duelling gods, while Orion and Mew finished obliterating the last of Team Rocket's ghost pokémon. The sky was alight with flashes and explosions, the air rang with the sounds of yells and roars and the thunderous shockwaves of powerful psychic attacks, and Domino felt light-headed just watching the hellish display of light and noise unfold above her.

Tearing her gaze away from the sky, Domino looked over to the Rockets on the ground and watched as they tossed yet another wave of poké-balls into the air. A troop of psychic pokémon materialized on the ground, mostly Alakazam, and the Rockets began to shout orders to them to use their powers, from the ground, to strike the Mewtwos. Domino knew the idea was hopeless; Alakazam were powerful psychic pokémon, yes, but against an opponent as formidable as a Mewtwo, they were laughably weak.

Suddenly, Domino saw a Rocket running towards her, his face grave and urgent and beaded with sweat. Domino saw that he was a Rocket of higher rank, for he was clad in a white Rocket uniform rather than the standard black attire of a grunt.

"009!" he called, and finally arrived in front of her, nearly gasping. "This is a disaster—we've tried everything—none of us has ever faced something like this, they're taking out every single one of our pokémon and our weapons are no use—"

"I know," Domino interrupted curtly. "Don't bother describing the situation to me, I'm already well aware that we're facing a complete catastrophe here."

The Rocket quickly shut his mouth, reddening slightly at Domino's blunt rebuke.

Domino, however, went on. "It's no matter—it's not something that the combat unit can be blamed for. We weren't prepared for this. There's simply nothing we can do against three Mewtwos. And a Mew."

The Rocket looked to her, his lips tightened into a grim, desperate line. "Then what do you suggest we do?"

Domino only hesitated for a moment before she gave the order that she knew she had to make. "Nothing."

"What? Nothing?"

"We have to pull out. Tell the Rockets to withdraw their pokémon—this isn't a battle we can win. We have to leave. Now."

The Rocket merely looked at Domino, eyes wide with surprise; surrender was not Team Rocket's usual course of action. But Domino had made her decision. She was in charge of this mission, and realized how badly it had failed. She had known all along that this scheme, this insane, vengeful scheme of Chaos's would lead to nothing but failure, and she had vowed to herself from the beginning that she would not be the one to fix it when it did. Her orders were only to see that the mission was carried out as directed—not to clean up the aftermath once it was finished. And now, with Rockets dead and bloodied on the summit of Mount Queyna all because of Chaos's reckless mistakes, Domino knew that she had to do what was in Team Rocket's best interests.

The Rocket finally looked away from Domino and turned back to the others, calling for them to cease their attack. There was a pause as the Rockets looked at him in bafflement, not sure whether or not that was an order that was safe to obey.

"Stop! Stop battling!" Domino shouted, annoyed with the hesitation of her inferiors. "Withdraw your pokémon and retreat—this battle is lost!"

The Rockets, still looking at each other with mystified expressions, finally took out their poké-balls and withdrew the psychic pokémon that they had only just sent out. They quickly collected any fainted pokémon remaining on the ground, and moving quickly as they could to avoid and further assault, began to file out of the area.

Domino, remaining behind with a few other Rocket Elites, looked up and saw Orion and Mew exchanging puzzled looks. She could see auras of psychic energy ominously forming around both of them—they were charging some sort of attack, and seemed to be debating whether or not they should fire upon the defenceless Rockets below.

"Orion!" Domino shouted.

Orion surveyed Domino with sceptically narrowed eyes. "What are you playing at, Domino? Where have the Rockets gone?"

Domino beckoned for Orion to come closer. He and Mew looked at each for a moment, clearly unsure of Domino's trustworthiness, but both eventually floated downwards and landed near the spring, being sure to keep a wary distance between Domino and the other Rockets.

"I don't mean any harm to either of you," said Domino, looking evenly into Orion's eyes. "I merely want to negotiate a ceasefire. A truce."

Orion raised an eyebrow. "A truce?" he repeated suspiciously. "I hardly believe that. I was a Rocket once, too, Domino—I know Team Rocket doesn't do negotiations very well."

Domino glared at him, annoyed. "Orion, I think we both know who the winner of this battle is. You know very well that we don't have the resources to win a fight like this. As of now, we are laying down our weapons and ceasing all combat with you. All that we ask is that you return the favour, and we will leave Mount Queyna quietly and without any trouble. I just don't want to see another Rocket hurt."

"So you're accepting defeat, then?"

"Yes. Consider this our surrender."

Orion rubbed his chin and considered the proposition for a moment. He looked to Mew, who merely nodded. "Very well," he said finally. "We will let you leave the mountain unscathed provided you leave_immediately. _I want every Rocket off this mountain in five minutes, no less. Understood?"

"Crystal clear."

"And what about your boss?" asked Orion, his gaze suspicious again, and pointed to the sky. "Are you simply going to leave her alone to face the rest of us?"

"I'm afraid so, yes."

"What?" protested one of the Rockets standing behind Domino. "She's the_boss! _We're supposed to follow her orders, not just abandon—"

"Yes, but she's given us absolutely no orders to stay here, has she?" Domino interrupted sharply. "In case you haven't noticed, the Boss is occupied at the moment. And seeing as _I'm _the one who was left in charge of this entire operation, _I'll _give the orders. The only objective of our mission was to invade Mount Queyna and steal its water; our orders had nothing to do with fighting impossible battles against Mewtwos who aren't even supposed to be here. Chaos's conflict at the moment is one of an entirely personal nature, and absolutely none of Team Rocket's concern."

"Yes, but—"

"One more objection from you and I can guarantee a demotion in your future," Domino snapped. "This battle is _lost. _We're moving out. If we don't leave now, if we stay and help Chaos fight against these Mewtwos, we will lose, and we all be annihilated. If we leave now, we still lose, but we'll cut out our losses drastically. I'm as loyal to the Boss as the next Rocket, but this operation is simply out of our hands. If anyone has any other helpful comments they'd like to share, they can tell me once we get back to headquarters. Now move out!"

The Rockets couldn't argue with Domino's logic and quickly obeyed her, not they had much of a choice anyway. Silently, they turned and swiftly left the spring. With an entire mountain to evacuate, they had their work cut out for them.

Domino looked once more at Orion. "Thank you for the agreement, Orion," she said briskly. "You always were the most reasonable Mewtwo."

"Yes, just be sure that you uphold your part of it," said Orion coldly, maintaining a wary gaze. "Get your Rockets out of here."

Domino gave a brief nod. "Very well. Farewell, Orion. And sorry to see you join the other side, by the way."

And with that, Domino turned and left the spring, her hands washed clean of the matter. Orion and Mew were left alone, the spring entirely silent save for the sounds of the battle still raging above.

Mew smiled. "Well, that battle's over, then."

Orion nodded grimly, and looked skyward. "But we still have one more to go."

Silently, they exchanged a glance, and both knew what they had to do next. Without hesitation, without so much as a word passing between them, both Orion and Mew leapt into the air and raced toward the battle in the sky.

* * *

Nova felt herself weakening further and further with every moment that passed. Every attack she fired at Chaos seemed to drain her energy more and more until she felt dizzy and light-headed, her stomach still writhing and unsettled, her body aching from the attacks hat she had already endured herself. And yet Chaos still seemed full of vigour, dodging Mewtwo and Nova's attacks with alarming swiftness, Teleporting unpredictably, and assaulting them with her own powerful bursts of psychic energy. How come Chaos didn't seem to be weakened at all? How much longer could Nova fight against her like this?

Nova tried to shake her thoughts away, ignoring the pain searing through her head and the sweat beading along her brow. She had to keep fighting.

Chaos released a potent Psybeam in her direction, which she dodged, and Mewtwo then sped into Chaos, their Barriers clashing together in sparkle of electricity and a resonant shockwave. They rebounded away from each other under the force, but then raced back together in another resounding clash, again and again, their bodies tense, their teeth gritted as they endured the rocking force of the repeated collisions. Nova felt nearly blinded by the light and energy that erupted from them with each clash, but somehow fired a Shadow Ball in Chaos's direction. Chaos didn't see it, and was blasted away from Mewtwo.

As Chaos soared through the air, Mewtwo suddenly became still and began to glow a fierce blue. Just as Chaos came to a stop in the air and tried to shake herself back to her senses, Mewtwo suddenly spread his arms wide, and a powerful psychic pulse rippled from his body, tearing though the surrounding air and slamming into Chaos. Her Barrier was ripped away, and she was held in place, paralyzed, as Mewtwo's power enveloped her completely in a gust of white-blue light.

Chaos screamed out, and Nova wasn't sure if it was a scream of pain or simply sheer surprise. Nova rushed forward, coming closer to Chaos to attack while she was immobilized, and as she raced through the air, she exchanged a glance with Mewtwo. They both knew that if they could both attack Chaos now, while she was off-guard, with a powerful attack, Chaos would be drastically weakened. Chaos was powerful, yes, but she wouldn't be able to hold herself against two Mewtwos for much longer.

Mewtwo saw what Nova was thinking, and nodded. Simultaneously, blue auras wisped around them as they charged up for another attack. Nova could feel every nerve in her body buzzing with electricity as her mind's energy flowed through her, around her, gathering power to unleash upon Chaos. She ignored the throbbing in her head—she had never used her powers for so long or so hard before, and every neuron in her brain was no doubt exhausted by the effort of the battle. But she had to press on. It was almost over. It had to be almost over.

But Chaos regained her wits at just the last moment, opening her eyes to see Mewtwo and Nova floating beyond, both of them glowing and pulsing with a terrifying amount of power. Knowing exactly what was coming, Chaos closed her eyes and vanished with a Teleport just as Mewtwo and Nova released their attack with a blinding flash of light.

Nova shouted in anger at Chaos's sudden disappearance; she had only drained herself further with that attack. She gasped weakly and turned, looking for Chaos, but found nothing; all she saw was Mewtwo racing around frantically, swearing and shouting in frustration.

"Damn it, where is she?" he snarled.

"Th-there!" Nova shouted, pointing to where she suddenly saw Chaos, far below them, near Mount Queyna. Nova was puzzled; why hadn't Chaos attacked them in their brief moment of confusion? Why was she now racing away from them, towards the mountain, where it would be nearly impossible to launch an accurate attack at them?

And then Nova saw what had captured Chaos's attention. Suddenly, the air around Mount Queyna seemed to come alive as Team Rocket's helicopters and planes took to the air. With a sense of dread, Nova thought that Team Rocket was orchestrating some sort of new attack against them, and that in addition to Chaos, she and Mewtwo would now have to deal with an army of air-machines opening fire on them. But, to her surprise, the Team Rocket fleet raced past them indifferently, the air roaring with the surge of engines and the chopping of helicopter blades, but there was no gunfire, no bombs, no explosions, nothing. The air fleet simply thundered away into the horizon, leaving the mountain, and Chaos, behind.

Their mission lost, Team Rocket was abandoning Mount Queyna.

As Nova expected, Chaos was less than pleased by this unexpected turn of events. The Team Rocket Mewtwo raced frantically around the mountain, her body glowing with a fierce, angry energy, her eyes wide and desperate with disbelief.

"_No!"_she roared. "No! They can't leave! I gave no orders for them to leave! I'm the _leader of Team Rocket! _They can't do this! _They can't abandon me here like this!"_

"I'm afraid they can, Chaos."

Chaos spun around to see who had spoken, and her eyes iced over with a sudden glare when she saw the identity of her new challenger. It was Orion. With Team Rocket gone, and their pokémon called away with them, Orion and Mew were finally able to rejoin the battle. And so they had, both of them floating in the air side by side, surveying Chaos with identically calm and unfeeling expressions.

"The Rockets aren't stupid," Orion continued evenly "Domino recognized that this mission was a lost cause. You failed them as a leader, Chaos; they had no choice but to leave."

"Shut up!" Chaos barked. "Don't you dare criticize my abilities as a leader! You have no idea what it's like!"

By this point, Nova and Mewtwo had floated down towards Chaos as well, and hovered just behind her in silence. Chaos was surrounded now, squared in by three Mewtwos and a Mew. Escape seemed impossible.

Orion went on in the tense silence. "You can't win this Chaos. You may be powerful, but you're badly outnumbered. If you step down now, this doesn't have to end badly. You can leave, and we can end all this now. But if you stay, you _will _lose. You're only going to get hurt, Chaos."

Chaos backed away from him, glaring. "I don't care what happens to me," she hissed, and spun around now to face Nova. "All that matters is that _she_ goes down with me!"

And suddenly, Chaos glowed brilliantly in a pulse of blinding light. There was no psychic release, no energy shockwave, just a blinding light that glowed hotter and brighter than the sun.

The others hadn't expected nor prepared for the sudden, gleaming Flash, and they all had to squeeze their eyes shut as dazzling stars exploded across their vision. Temporarily blinded, the Mewtwos had to cover their eyes to block out the light, crying in pain as their pupils burned with it.

Nova was the first to open her eyes; she knew Chaos had created a distraction for a reason. Chaos had vanished, having Teleported once again, and Nova had no idea where. For the first time since her battle with Chaos had started, Nova felt truly gripped with fear. She spun around, searching wildly for Chaos, but could find nothing; her vision still blurred with stars and colours that burned across her eyes. She could hardly see, and was too panicked to move or think properly. Then finally, an idea occurred to her; she looked down, and sure enough, Chaos had materialized there, every inch of her glowing threateningly with psychic energy; it crackled and danced around her in electric blue sparks, her eyes shone with it, her whole body was enveloped in the seeping energy of her mind as it charged and gathered energy.

But Nova had realized too late, too late to even Teleport or turn away. Chaos waved her arms, and the energy that had gathered within her suddenly leapt forward in a powerful Psychic blast. Nova had no means of defence against it and was seized completely by the attack.

Suddenly, everything ceased to exist; all she was aware of was radiant white light in every direction, a ringing sound that threatened to tear her ears apart from the inside, and pain, total, encompassing pain that set fire to every nerve in her body, paralyzing and torturing all at once.

Nova's feeble Barrier was of no use against the sheer force of Chaos's Psychic, and simply flickered out of existence like a candle flame in a hurricane. And so the attack surged through her like electricity, rippling sharply throughout her whole body, and even seizing her very mind. Her whole head seemed to explode with pain, her brain wracked with the sudden surge of psychic energy flowing through her, her ears ringing, still ringing from the attack, and from her own screams of pain.

Nova simply had not been prepared for this. She had started the battle weak and exhausted and ill, and this final attack was too much for her battered body. Her focus and concentration had been waning throughout the entire battle, and now, what little she had left of her strength and will was blasted away by Chaos's relentless force; blackness began to ebb across her vision like a coming tide, her last vestiges of energy drained away, her body weakened, and the whole world seemed to darken and fade away.

And then, Chaos finally let go; her Psychic attack finished finally, every last wisp of energy in her body used, and she gasped at the sheer effort she had poured into the attack. Nova, though finally released from her torture, did not gasp or cry or even so much as murmur, but fell utterly silent. She was unnervingly still, hanging immobile in the bright afternoon air; and then, finally, her eyes rolled back into unconsciousness, and she began to fall.

Mewtwo leapt forward instinctively, crying out in a trembling voice. "Nova,_no!_" he shouted, fearing the absolute worst.

Chaos cackled; everyone else was too stunned to hear her.

"And once more, just to make sure she's finished off!" said Chaos shrilly, her eyes wide and mad, and she quickly formed a Shadow Ball between her hands. But Orion finally recognized the reality of the situation and reacted; before Chaos could release her attack, Orion blasted her to the side telekinetically, knocking her breathless and sending the Shadow Ball in another direction entirely.

In the next moment, there was a sudden flurry of action. Chaos, manic and desperate to finish Nova once and for all, unleashed a slew of attacks upon her, but Orion and Mew moved to block and surround Chaos, deflecting Chaos's blasts of psychic power as they came. Mewtwo had left the fray entirely; he was now racing downward, racing as fast as his powers would take him to catch up with the limp figure of his mate plummeting toward the mountain; if he didn't catch her within the next moment, she would soon become a victim of gravity, if not Chaos.

With a final burst of speed, Mewtwo swooped beneath Nova and swept her falling body into his arms, drawing her close to his chest.

"Nova,_Nova,"_ he whispered hoarsely. "Oh God, Nova, please be all right—"

But his worst fears proved false; she was alive. He could feel her breath on his neck, the most warm and joyous feeling he could imagine at the moment—she was breathing, she was alive, his beautiful Nova, still alive—he felt an overwhelming surge of joy despite the situation, and thought he might laugh or cry, or both, with sheer relief.

"M-Mewtwo," she murmured to him, clutching his shoulders as he flew on, "I… Chaos… I can't… I'm too weak, I can't—"

"It's all right, Nova, it doesn't matter now, it's all right," he whispered, holding her tighter. He was still racing downward, toward the mountain. "We'll beat her, Nova. We're going to the spring. Orion and Mew will handle her for now, and then we'll defeat her once and for all. It's going to be all right."

Nova made noise somewhere between a murmur and a whimper and tried to move, but Mewtwo held her still.

"I—I'm sorry," she said suddenly, and her voice came in a strangled sort of sob.

Mewtwo looked down at her, eyebrows raised. "What? What for?"

"I… was too weak, I couldn't…" Nova murmured incomprehensibly, and Mewtwo had to strain to hear her over the Psychic blasts roaring above. "I didn't feel well… couldn't fight… oh God, the baby… the baby… has to be all right…"

"What? What are you saying?" said Mewtwo, staring at her intently. Nova, however, was in the grips of unconsciousness, her eyelids slowly dropping down, and Mewtwo had to gently shake her back into consciousness. "Nova?"

"Mewtwo, I have to tell you something," she whispered, closing her eyes. "I meant to tell you before… before we got here…"

Finally, Mewtwo came to a soft landing on the grass below, just near the healing spring, Nova still in his arms, so soft and light in his arms. The most important thing now was to get her into the water, to heal her and make her well again.

"Yes, Nova?" said Mewtwo, almost absentmindedly as he walked toward the spring. "What do you want to tell me?"

Nova took a breath, and hesitated. Mewtwo hardly noticed—he had to reach the spring, had to get her into the water, he had to undo the pain and damage that Chaos had inflicted; it was all that mattered now, nothing else, he only wanted to see Nova healthy and safe again.

Nova's voice came again in a soft whisper. "Mewtwo… I…" And she took another breath.

But Mewtwo was lost in his own thoughts. His feet finally touched the edge of the spring, and the cool water lapped softy around his toes as he slowly stepped into the calm pool. Suddenly, he was reminded of the first time he had brought Nova to Mount Queyna; it had been exactly the same. He had brought her here in his arms, battered and beaten from another terrible battle, desperate to save her and heal her of her wounds… he hadn't thought he'd ever have to do it again, he had hoped he would never have to see her hurt like that again—but there they were, Nova once again in his arms, barely clinging to consciousness, and Mewtwo realized then just how strong a mate he had, how bravely she dealt with all the agonies that Chaos and Team Rocket had dealt her.

He waded deeper into the spring, the water coming up to his waist now, feeling every part of his heart and mind surge with a sudden love and gratefulness for the Mewtwo in his arms. _It will be all right Nova, it will all be over soon._

But suddenly, Mewtwo came out of his reverie, becoming aware once more of time and space and everything around him. He looked down at Nova, whose eyes were wide and glimmering now, and finally, she found her voice to speak.

"Mewtwo…" she said, her voice quiet, hushed. "I—I'm pregnant."

The statement came seemingly from out of nowhere, and curiously, Mewtwo felt the world turn suddenly upside-down. "Pardon?" he spluttered.

"I'm pregnant," Nova repeated again, clearer this time, but her face reddened with something like embarrassment.

There was a long silence as Mewtwo suddenly forgot everything around him, and though the water had worked to restore his strength partially, he began to sway unsteadily in the water, nearly loosening his grip on Nova. A thousand things slammed into his mind at once, countless thoughts and questions and worries all suddenly pushed and tugged at his mind simultaneously until there was no space for any of them, and his entire thought process seemed to shut down all together. He couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe what Nova was telling him, he couldn't believe that she was telling him _now,_ of all times, and he couldn't believe the _implications _of it—the word 'father' suddenly occurred to him, and he thought he might faint.

But at the same time, he felt his chest swell suddenly with the most dizzying blend of emotions. His heart throbbed with joy and worry and bafflement and sheer delight, all at the same time, and so much that it hurt; he had never felt anything remotely like it, and couldn't find any words to express any of it. He could only stand still, half submerged in spring water, gaping stupidly ahead.

"Mewtwo?" murmured Nova, weakly lifting a hand to his cheek—no doubt her mate's reaction worried her. "Mewtwo, are you all right? Mewtwo? Are you upset?"

"No… no love, of course not," said Mewtwo distantly, his voice softer than it ever had been. "I'm not upset, Nova… In fact, I think this may be the happiest moment of my life."

Nova, despite her exhaustion, gave Mewtwo the warmest smile she could muster, and kissed him gently on the cheek. Under any other circumstances, it would have been a beautifully peaceful moment, but there was still a battle raging above them that needed to be fought; in fact, at that very moment, a stray Shadow Ball ripped past them, crashing into the spring only a few meters away.

"Well, my apologies, love," murmured Mewtwo. "But this simply cannot wait."

Mewtwo then lowered Nova gently into the spring; he let the water just cover her weary, aching body, not letting go or letting her sink to the bottom. Nova was stationary for several moments, eyes closed wearily as the water worked its miracle. And then suddenly, as if stricken by a sudden shock of electricity, Nova's eyes snapped open, and she lunged forward with a trembling gasp. Healed completely, she jumped from Mewtwo's arms, her silver eyes shining fiercely with a sudden vigour. She stared up at Chaos with a hatred so potent that Mewtwo could almost feel the iciness of her stare.

"All right, let's finish this," she said, taking a step forward, but Mewtwo grabbed her by the arm.

"Are you sure that's wise?" he asked. "I mean… with your condition… and she's already hurt you once, Nova—"

"I'm better now!" snapped Nova stubbornly. "Better than normal, even! I can take her on, Mewtwo!"

"But Nova—"

"Don't! Don't even dare, Mewtwo! I know you only want to keep me safe, but I'm not some delicate little flower that needs to be protected! This is my battle, and I'm sure as hell not going to let anyone else fight it for me!"

Mewtwo couldn't suppress the wry little smile that spread across his lips. There was the stubborn, fiery Mewtwo that he had fallen in love with; he realized immediately that nothing he could say would persuade her to abstain from fighting.

"Well, if that's the case," he said, "then we had better not let Orion and Mew have all the fun."

Nova nodded, satisfied by Mewtwo's agreement. "Then let's get up there and stop that madwoman once and for all."

That was all the direction that Mewtwo needed. Side by side, Mewtwo and Nova leapt from the spring in a spray of water and raced back into the sky one last time.

* * *

Rolling and tumbling through the heavens, Orion and Mew continued their duel against Chaos who, despite the damage she had taken during the battle, seemed as relentless as ever. It seemed as though it was Chaos's sheer madness that continued to spur her on, as if her crazed state seemed to numb all her pain and weakness, allowing her to battle on with an undying fury.

Orion found that he could hardly get a single attack in; at the moment, it was merely a game of blocking Chaos's attacks against Mewtwo and Nova, who were down in the spring taking forever to do God-only-knew what. Repeatedly, Chaos would release a Psybeam in the direction of the mountain, only to have Mew deflect it; then she would attempt a Shadow Ball, but Orion would only blast it away with his own.

Soon Chaos was Teleporting erratically, disappearing and reappearing at random in an attempt to confound her opponents, and with Mew and Orion spinning around frantically, trying to keep their eyes on everything, it seemed to be working. Once or twice Chaos would reappear close to the spring, but Orion and Mew were quick to reach out and drag her back telekinetically, all three of them exchanging powerful blasts of psychic energy the whole time.

Now, Orion and Mew were ramming repeatedly into Chaos's Barrier with their own, hoping to shake and disorient Chaos with the force. Again and again, the three psychic pokémon crashed and rebounded, their Barriers quaking and sparking, the air jarring and vibrating with noise. This dizzying aerial dance never seemed to end, all three of them colliding again and again like bright, charged atoms, repulsing, attracting, reacting, over and over and over.

"Give this up!" screamed Chaos, her voice shrill, bordering on desperation. "You're only wasting your time! It's Nova I want!"

"And we'll defend her until you're defeated, Chaos!" Orion roared back "You're never going to win this!"

"It's not over yet!"

And Chaos suddenly flung her arms out to the sides, and two brilliant rays of psychic energy exploded from her, deep red and humming with power, one aimed directly at Mew, the other at Orion. Mew and Orion responded with alarming speed, countering Chaos's blasts with their own, and the energy beams collided in a blinding shower of light and jagged veins of electricity. All three pokémon remained locked in place, Mew and Orion pushing their Psybeams against Chaos with all their might, and Chaos somehow maintaining two psychic blasts at once to push back.

Orion roared, bracing himself against Chaos's force, but the strain he felt against her was more than just exhaustive, physical exertion; he could feel something straining in his very mind, too, as if something, some alien and malevolent presence, was pressing into his very thoughts, pushing and straining against whatever barrier kept them sacred and protected and hidden. Orion realized with horror that Chaos was attempting to break into his _mind; _it was her—the dark, unpleasant presence in his mind was _her—_prodding his psyche, trying to tear his mind clean open and violate it in a way he didn't think possible. Suddenly, Orion's head began to throb with a violent, explosive pain as every nerve in his brain fought against Chaos's telepathy; but still he pushed on, knowing that if he dropped his Psybeam now, his mind would probably be blasted clean apart by hers.

_No, no, _**no**—_you are _not _getting into my thoughts, you are _not _going there! _Orion thought furiously, wondering if she could hear. Anger surged hotly through Orion; his fury materialized in a sudden burst of energy, and Chaos strained visibly against this increase in power, her body shaking and her teeth gritted. She simply wasn't strong enough to maintain two Psybeams at once, and finally had to drop her attack against Mew and focus entirely on Orion. But she had strained herself too far and had weakened herself too much already; Orion's force proved to be too much for her, and with one final burst of energy from him, Chaos was engulfed entirely in his powerful psychic flare.

Orion felt a tremendous release as Chaos was overcome by his attack. But more than that, the painful strain that had built up in his mind vanished entirely, reversed itself, and suddenly, his mind sensed something new, something just as strange and wrong as he had felt before: he was hearing thoughts now—but the thoughts weren't his own.

First he was aware of pain, an all-encompassing but detached pain, a pain that didn't belong to him. There was pain, so much pain that Orion could hardly wrap his head around in it, and a overwhelming fear and desperation that wasn't a part of his mind, either. He tried to pull away from whatever it was he was sensing, but couldn't, he—

—_oh my God it hurts, **it hurts, **it hurts so much—I can't—why—why won't it stop, I can't—_

Orion felt himself recoil with horror. He was reading Chaos's thoughts.

Somehow, her attack had rebounded on _herself—_and now he was reading Chaos's thoughts, and couldn't stop; he tried to shake his head, tried anything to break the connection, but his attack on her had been too powerful—

—_what have I done? I can't stop this—I—everything's fallen apart, I—the pain, it's going to kill me, I can't stop it… I… Orion!…Oh! Orion—what have I done to him? I never meant—never meant to hurt him—wasn't supposed to—oh God, why won't the pain stop—Orion—_

The thoughts quickly became incoherent to Orion as they began to gather and condense, thousands of thoughts rushing together in a humming, chaotic current of disorganized consciousness. Then, Orion was suddenly flooded with memories that weren't his, images and sounds that had never touched his senses—suddenly he saw Viridian City, and the headquarters—and Rockets—and then he saw Giovanni, so many images of Giovanni, and with each there was that disjointed feeling of pain…and then he saw Nova, and his mind burned and seared with the worst feelings imaginable… and finally he could see images of himself, images of himself through someone else's eyes, and again, that dreadful, distant pain—

And then Orion could handle no more. Appalled and horrified, Orion involuntarily released a final burst of psychic energy, and the telepathic connection was suddenly broken. Orion's mind was his own again; his eyes finally saw the sky and the earth around him, the flurry of images gone.

He was then aware of a horrible screaming, and looked to Chaos. She was bent double with pain, screaming with everything her lungs could muster, her eyes squeezed shut and her hands pressed tightly to her temples.

"Chaos!" Orion cried. "Chaos—I—"

"Shut up!" screamed Chaos, her eyes opening wide. "_Shut up!"_

Orion moved forward, feeling terrible and disoriented from everything that had just happened. "Chaos, I didn't mean—"

"_Leave me alone!" _snarled Chaos, and suddenly flung a swift Shadow Ball in Orion's direction. Orion dodged it, but barely; he was amazed that Chaos could muster an attack so soon after such an ordeal.

Then, at that moment, Orion looked down and saw Mewtwo and Nova suddenly racing toward the sky, finally finished with the healing spring. Chaos, too, saw her opponents approaching, snarled in frustration, and vanished in a sudden Teleport. Orion looked up, saw that she was gone, and cursed.

Mewtwo came to a stop just in front of Mew and Orion; Nova halted behind him, floating still in the cool air, her expression curiously clear and unfeeling.

"Where has Chaos gone now?" growled Mewtwo to Mew and Orion, and he cast his gaze around, above and below, searching furiously for the black Mewtwo.

And then he caught sight of her, far below, racing toward the mountain; what she was doing, they couldn't be sure—perhaps she was merely trying to run, or perhaps she was trying to get to the healing spring herself to restore her energy; whatever it was, she flew frantically, her course erratic. Immediately, the four pokémon in the sky reached out together with their powers and seized Chaos telekinetically, dragging her away from the mountain. The Mewtwo cried with rage and fought against it, but was still too disoriented from Orion's assault on her mind to focus properly. With no other option, Chaos was forced to Teleport once again.

With a flash of light, Chaos rematerialized once again in the air, this time directly in the centre of the other four pokémon. Her body was bent, braced for battle, and her eyes glinted with a frenzied, feverish pain. She didn't speak, but the message in her stance was clear: this was going to end here. Now.

There was a moment of hesitation, only the smallest sliver of a moment where everyone was still, but then there was a sudden flurry of movement as the clones leapt to action. Orion, Mewtwo and Mew each slung their attacks at Chaos; a Shadow Ball from Mewtwo, a jagged Thunderbolt from Orion, and a gleaming red Psybeam from Mew. Chaos raised her hands, generating a Barrier, and managed to resist the brunt of the attacks; the Shadow Ball ricocheted off, Chaos flying backwards from the blow, the Thunderbolt rippled over the Barrier in a web of sparks, and the Psybeam nearly disintegrated the Barrier altogether, but Chaos somehow found the energy to maintain it.

Without a moment to recharge, Mewtwo, Orion, and Mew unleashed simultaneous Psychic attacks, and the crackling blue energy swept toward Chaos like a deathly aurora; Chaos responded with her own Psychic, and the gleaming pulse of energy crashed with the other, exploding in a surge of light and electricity. Everyone had to dive down and away to avoid the resultant shockwave, shielding their eyes from the light as they did. And without pausing for a beat, there was a fresh exchange of attacks, and the four combatants were lost in a chaos of blue and red, waves and sparks, and so much glittering, crackling light.

Mewtwo twisted and turned through the air, trying not to lose himself in the frenzy of battle, trying to keep his gaze locked on Chaos, on the crazed Mewtwo who was responsible for all the suffering and misery and heartache that he and Nova had endured.

And then a panicked realization suddenly reared within Mewtwo's mind: where was Nova? Why wasn't she battling? Why couldn't he remember her launching a single attack since they had left the spring?

Dodging an Ice Beam and then a Thunderbolt, Mewtwo dove down, allowing Mew and Orion to continue the assault. He cast his gaze back and forth in search of Nova, and then turned around completely; finally, he saw her, floating higher up in the sky than the rest of them, and he realized at once what she was doing. Mewtwo knew from experience what sort of fantastic effects the spring could have, and he could see now that the spring had done more than heal Nova—it had infused her with a powerful energy, an energy that surrounded her now as she prepared a final attack. Her entire body shone with a glimmering light, a pale, white aura surrounding her, enveloping her as energy flowed from her restored mind, flowed through her every nerve and wisped around her. Her eyes were closed tightly and her arms were drawn inward, her entire body stiffened in a state of deepest concentration.

A sudden hush fell over the scene as the other Mewtwos finally noticed Mewtwo staring, and they, too, looked upward; Orion and Mew's mouths opened with surprise at the sight of Nova, swathed in a halo of white, but Chaos's eyes widened with a sudden fear—whatever was coming, she knew that it was meant for her.

And then, Nova's eyes suddenly snapped open, her silver irises concealed by opaque sheets of glowing white. Slowly, her arms stretched to her sides, and the glowing white seemed to swirl around her hands.

Mewtwo sensed the danger coming; Nova was about to release an unimaginable blast of pure, psychic power. There was no way to harness this kind of power, no way to focus it like any other normal attack; no one left in its wake would be spared.

"Move! Quickly!" shouted Mewtwo to Orion and Mew, and he took off into the sky. They quickly followed after him, realizing, too, what was coming.

"What's going on?" cried Chaos, and she attempted to fly, too, but found that she couldn't. Struggling against some invisible force, Chaos was stuck where she was. She attempted a Teleport, but that only failed as well; it seemed as though Nova was holding her in place with little more than her icy, white gaze.

Chaos turned weakly to face Nova, her whole body and mind drained from the effort of battle and from the sudden force locking her in place. She was trapped. She wouldn't be able to fight this. Recognizing her plight, Chaos mustered what little energy she still had and focussed it into a Barrier, concentrating as hard as she could. _Nova hasn't won yet, _she thought grimly, hoping that the Barrier would at least allow her to survive the coming attack.

And then it happened. Suddenly, the white aura seemed to vanish from Nova, expanding from her in a sphere, swelling across the entire sky and valley, bathing everything in light brighter than the sun. Everything seemed to shake and blur within the sphere, trembling under a sudden force, and Mewtwo and the others raced further into the sky, just escaping the light's reach.

Nova's glowing eyes opened wider, and her arms stretched out beyond her. Suddenly, a gleaming pulse of energy leapt from her body, leapt towards Chaos at a speed almost faster than light, and suddenly, that's all there was—light. Light, in every direction, a sheer explosion of swelling, white light, as if a supernova had suddenly burst in the sky above Mount Queyna.

And then, the sound followed; a deafening shockwave of noise that cleanly knocked Mewtwo and the others over, a trembling, ringing tearing noise that shook the very air and sounded as if the very fabric of space was being rent apart.

The pokémon had to shut their eyes and cover their ears against the blast, and even if they had kept their eyes open, it would have been impossible to see what happened to Chaos anyway; she was lost amidst the light

And then, finally, there was a final gust of energy, a last burst of heat, and the ringing sound that resonated throughout the valley faded and extinguished entirely, replaced by an eerie calm. Mewtwo, Orion and Mew all opened their eyes at once, and looked down below to see who had emerged victorious, even though they already knew.

Chaos was defeated, and surprisingly, still intact; her limp body—unconscious or dead, it was impossible to tell from up high—was plummeting toward the Earth below. Nova remained floating where she has, but her stance was unsteady. One hand on her brow, she lurched forward clumsily, and then backward, before falling into a clear faint—an attack of that magnitude had no doubt sapped every ounce of energy in her body, and it was no surprise to see her fall unconscious from sheer exhaustion, if nothing else. Suddenly oblivious, Nova, too, began to fall for the Earth a second time, plummeting in the wake of her enemy.

Mewtwo leapt forward one last time to rush to the aid of his mate. He reached out, stopping her fall telekinetically, and as Orion watched Mewtwo save Nova, he was struck by a sudden unexplainable feeling, a sense that he had to do something, too. He leapt forward, on sheer impulse, and raced off toward the plummeting figure of Chaos, who would be colliding with the Earth at any moment.

Orion reached out with his own powers and caught the black Mewtwo before she fell to her death. Mewtwo, who had just swept Nova once more into his arms, swooped upward and saw what Orion was doing.

"Orion!" he shouted, his eyes flying open with incredulity, and a sudden flicker of anger. "What—what are you doing!"

Orion rushed toward Chaos's still body, drawing her closer to himself. He wasn't entirely sure what he was doing—he couldn't quite explain the sudden impulse that had taken hold of him. All he knew was that he had seen more than enough bloodshed for one day, and the thought of seeing one more person die an unpleasant death was too much for him to stand. And more than that, it was… a Mewtwo. One of their own. _Chaos. _He couldn't stand by and simply watch as she fell helplessly toward the Earth, simply waiting for gravity to do its unpleasant work. His stomach had twisted painfully, guiltily at the sight of her falling, and he wouldn't have been able to live with himself having done nothing.

Orion moved through the air until finally, Chaos was within his reach, and he pulled her from the air and into his arms. Her body was limp, but soft, and still warm.

"Orion!" Mewtwo called again, and this time the anger was evident. "What are you doing? That monster just tried to kill Nova!"

Orion ignored Mewtwo, his hand moving to Chaos's neck to check for a pulse. And yes, there it was, just a faint beat beneath his fingertips, but a beat nonetheless—Chaos was still alive. Orion felt a strange thrill pass through his nerves at the realization.

Mewtwo began to advance toward Orion at this point, Nova still in his arms, and his purple eyes were now seething with a dangerous chill of anger. "Orion, what the hell do you—"

"She doesn't have to die, Mewtwo," said Orion suddenly, his voice quiet, but firm. "The battle's over. Chaos is defeated. No one else needs to die."

Mewtwo glared. "Damn it, Orion, I thought you were through with her!"

Orion looked up at Mewtwo, and now, it was his turn to be angry. "This has nothing to do with that!" he shouted. "I just don't think killing her will accomplish anything!"

"Orion—"

"Mewtwo, he's right," a soft voice interrupted, and the two Mewtwos looked up to see that Mew had appeared beside them without them even noticing. She gazed at them with a sad but soothing smile, her eyes bluer and softer than Orion had ever seen.

"What's to gain from killing her, Mewtwo?" she went on quietly. "She's defeated. Unconscious. She's no harm to Nova anymore, Mewtwo—to kill her now would simply be an act of vengeance, and if I'm not mistaken, that's precisely what motivated Chaos in the first place, wasn't it?"

Mewtwo looked away from Orion and Mew, choosing to focus his glare on Chaos, instead.

"And when she wakes up?" he growled. "What then? You think she won't try to attack again?"

"I'll deal with her," said Orion. "Besides, do you really think she'll be in any condition to fight after what she just endured? I'm surprised she's even alive. Trust me, if she tries to put up any sort of fight, I'll be more than able to handle it."

Mewtwo stared intently at Orion, eyes still narrowed. He considered the situation for several moments, looking from Orion, to Nova, to finally Mew, who merely offered him a weak but hopeful smile. Finally, Mewtwo answered.

"Very well," he said, heaving a sigh. "She can live—but get her out of my sight."

After spitting out his last words, Mewtwo gave Chaos one last acidic stare before turning and flying away toward Mount Queyna, still clutching to Nova's unconscious form.

Orion watched as he shrunk into the distance, and landed finally near the spring as a tiny speck.

"Well, I suppose I should find somewhere to keep her," muttered Orion, looking briefly at Chaos. "And Mew—thank you."

"You're welcome," said Mew, but her voice sounded unusually serious. "Listen, Orion—Mewtwo may have agreed to let Chaos live, but you know that she has to leave here as soon as possible. Mewtwo won't stand to have her in his home."

"I—I know that, Mew. Trust me. She'll leave as soon as she's able to, I'll make sure of it."

"Good."

Orion then turned to leave, but suddenly felt Mew touch him on the shoulder.

"Orion?"

"Yes?"

Mew hesitated for a moment, and Orion was stricken by the worry in her eyes. "Please be careful," she murmured. "I don't know what exactly you intend to do with her once she's recovered, but…the last thing you need is for her to hurt you again. Promise me you won't let that happen."

Orion offered Mew a small smile, and kissed her tenderly on the cheek. "I promise, Mew. It's the last thing in the world you need to worry about."

Mew smiled warmly, and Orion turned to leave; as Mewtwo had only moments before, Orion flew down towards Mount Queyna.

And so Mew was left alone, high above the dark mountain below her, to float silently for several moments in the cool, bright air. It was strange to suddenly feel the warm glow of sunlight on her face, where her cheek still felt warm from Orion's touch, and the soothing touch of breeze through her fur. After such a long day of nothing but pain and fighting, it was strange to feel anything pleasant at all. For just a few moments, Mew closed her eyes and allowed time to stand still around her as she floated in the breeze, absorbing the sheer calm of the afternoon.

And then, Mew opened her eyes, sighing lightly. With a few playful flips and tumbles through the air, the small, pink feline began to fly in the direction of Mount Queyna, as Mewtwo and Orion had before her, in search of a place to simply sit down and enjoy the day.

The battle finally over, Mew was ready for a well-earned rest.

* * *

End of Chapter XIX 


	20. A White Tomorrow

Wow…. Here it is. The end. And yes, it's much longer than I expected—I originally intended this to be a little epilogue, just a few pages, but I guess there were a lot of loose ends that needed to be tied.

**Last Chapter: **There was a huge battle. Chaos lost. Honestly, I don't think it needs much more summation than that.

* * *

Shadows Like You 

Chapter XX: _A White Tomorrow_

By: Cosmic Mewtwo

* * *

Nova could feel herself swaying, rocking back and forth between consciousness and the darker abyss of deep, dreamless sleep. She didn't know why she kept waking up, or half-waking up; she was more exhausted than she had ever been in her life, her whole body drained and weak, her mind completely slowed to a standstill. In between the long stretches of dark and utter silence of sleep, when her mind seemed to extinguish completely, her eyes would open and she was greeted by a lighter, softer darkness, and a soft voice urging her back to rest. This seemed to go on forever, and she couldn't be sure how much time had passed since the battle had ended and she had been swept away into the realm of the subconscious. 

And suddenly, after what felt like an endless stretch of darkness, sleep left her again, and her eyelids cracked open to the world around her. She was still greeted by darkness and silence, but it was different than the sleepless dark and quiet of her sleep; she could feel here, too, and smell. There was air, and it felt cool against her skin, and she could smell an earthy scent so soft that she barely smelled it at all.

Nova blinked, and her eyes opened just a little bit further; she could her pupils adjusting to the dark. Suddenly, she became aware of faint shafts of silver light—moonlight, perhaps—slanting in through what she could see now was stone. Stone walls. Was she in a cave?

She blinked again, and this time, she saw movement. A dark figure suddenly loomed before her, leaning closer until it hit the moonlight, and Nova was greeted by a familiar, pale face, and the deepest, purple eyes.

"Mewtwo?" she whispered, so quietly that she wasn't sure if she had spoken at all or had merely thought the name.

"Go to sleep, Nova," came a familiar voice quietly. Nova had forgotten how soothing Mewtwo's voice was, so deep and smooth and clear. For a moment, she thought about following his voice, going to sleep just as it had told her to, allowing his fluid tones to lull her back into the stream of unconsciousness that she had just left behind.

But no. Her mind was beginning to buzz to life again, whether she wanted it to or not. Detached thoughts and incomplete questions floated to the surface of her mind, forcing her to keep her eyes open.

"Mewtwo?" she said again, louder this time despite the hoarseness of her voice.

"You need to rest Nova," said Mewtwo, caressing her cheek. "Go back to sleep."

Nova shook her head, and attempted to sit up. Doing so made a sudden pain throb in her head and she was forced to remain lying down, disoriented further. "But I… where's Chaos?" she asked suddenly. "What happened?"

"You defeated Chaos. It's all right, Nova; you're safe now. You can rest."

"Did she… did she die? Mewtwo? What happened?"

Mewtwo hesitated, and Nova could see a look of displeasure pass over Mewtwo's face. "No… Chaos… Chaos survived. But it's all right. Orion is tending to her at the moment—he's taking care of all that. I assure you that everything's fine Nova. You have nothing to worry about."

Nova could feel herself becoming drowsy again; as fiercely as her mind buzzed, it wasn't enough to dispel the exhaustion that had taken hold of her. And Mewtwo's voice was so soft, so soothing… She was almost willing to let it cradle her back to sleep…

"It's… it's all right now?" she said weakly, her eyelids slowly falling.

"Yes, Nova. Everything's fine. Everything's all right."

"…You're safe…? And… the baby…?"

"Yes, love. Everything's fine now, and all because of you. You've fought harder than anyone I know—you don't have to fight anymore. Just rest now—you need it. We have all tomorrow to talk, and everyday after that. It's going to be all right."

Nova sighed, and allowed her eyes to slide completely shut. Perhaps Mewtwo was right. She had done enough fighting and struggling for a lifetime—perhaps it was finally over now. Perhaps it was finally safe to rest her tired mind.

And so she let go, allowing her mind to fall back into sleep's waiting arms. Darkness and silence enveloped her once more, and just as the soft tendrils of sleep were about to bind her completely, she reached blindly for Mewtwo's hand.

"I love you, Mewtwo."

"I love you, too, Nova."

Mewtwo's hand closed tightly around Nova's, and finally, Nova rested.

* * *

The cave was silent, and Orion was glad for it. His head still rang with the noise that had assaulted him all day—the thunderous roar of battle, the cries of pokémon, and the head-splitting echo of psychic warfare. His whole being felt exhausted with it, and to finally rest in silence, cradled by the approaching dark of evening and the coolness of the cavern's air, was more than he could ask for. There was no sound within the cave's cold, stony walls, no sound save for the soft hiss of the waterfall that drained from the cave's mouth, but it didn't bother Orion. It felt like a soothing breeze against his wearied mind. 

Orion stared toward the cave's mouth, and watched as the sun slowly inched further below the horizon. The sunset was almost over—what remained was little more than a flame of sun just at the landscape's edge, and above it, the sky was beginning to bruise purple and blue. Soon, the stars would be coming out. Orion felt drowsy just watching the landscape slowly darken under the hushed sweep of nightfall. And he would have gone to sleep, too, if there weren't Chaos to tend to.

The other Mewtwo was further back in the cave, curled up near the wall, her skin so dark that she was almost camouflaged. She slept quietly and deeply, so still that sometimes it seemed as though she wasn't even breathing. Orion thought it odd to see her so still and at peace—after seeing the viciousness she was capable of, what kind of monster truly lurked beneath the surface, it was amazing to see her do something as simple and innocent as sleep.

Orion turned away from the cave's mouth and moved toward Chaos. He wondered when she would wake up—she had been sleeping for hours now. He hadn't been able to take her to the healing spring—Mewtwo would have forbidden it, Orion was sure—but he had tended to her all the same. The healing water that came from within the very core of Mount Queyna could actually be found all throughout the mountain's caves, in pools and waterfalls and hot springs, and Orion had found such a cave with a small pool of just the water he needed. It wasn't as potent as the spring's water, of course, but it worked well enough.

He had spent all day gathering water from the pool in a small, stone bowl, and running it gently over Chaos's unconscious body. He didn't want to submerge her completely in the pool—too much water at once would revive and energize her completely, perhaps too much, and there was a very real threat that she would attack. And so Orion only doused her in it in small amounts, treating her cuts and bruises and the certain soreness of her body.

He hoped, too, that the water would cure her of any damage to her mind; psychic pokémon were known to be sensitive against particularly strong psychic attacks, like Nova's, which could do considerable damage to the sensitive brain of a psychic pokémon. Orion was sure, however, that the water would prevent this.

Orion looked Chaos up and down, wondering if perhaps more water was needed. She seemed peaceful—perhaps sleep was all she needed now. And Orion wasn't even sure he _wanted_ her to wake up; he didn't know what state of mind she would be in when she awoke. And even if she had regained her sanity, did he really want to talk to her now, after what she had done? After the things she had done to Nova? After the pain she had caused _him?_

And then there had been the incident during the battle—something Orion would have liked to forget—when their minds had merged by accident. When he had seen every one of Chaos's thoughts and feelings, all the way down to her very core. He couldn't shake what he had seen; he hadn't seen the sheer evil in her that he had expected, but instead had seen a twisted, miserable soul tortured by loss and shame. He had been both repulsed by what he saw, and terribly heartbroken at the same time.

"Oh, Chaos," he muttered to himself. He reached for the bowl lying at Chaos's side, seeing that it was still half full of water, and slowly tilted it over her. The water gently trickled down Chaos's face, down her neck and onto her chest and arms, the liquid forming tiny rivulets as it coursed down her dark skin. Orion watched as the water webbed out across her body, over her closed eyes, over the blood-red R tattooed to her shoulder. He felt almost guilty staring at her; he couldn't shake the thought that she was beautiful.

_Too bad it's only on the outside, _he thought bitterly.

He watched her for several more moments, but nothing happened. The water dried, the cave became darker as the sun's rays were replaced by moonlight, but still, Chaos did not stir. Orion sighed and began to turn away, but then he saw something.

There was yellow. Just a flicker of yellow—slowly, Chaos's eyes suddenly began to open, and Orion could see the brilliant gold of her irises fluttering behind her lids. It was several moments before she roused completely, her eyes roving across the chamber, her pupils swelling to see in the darkness, before finally, her gaze fell upon Orion.

"Orion?" she said, sitting up weakly. Her voice was hoarse, and uncertain. Her eyes squinted in the moonlight.

Orion looked at her blankly. "Hello," he muttered.

Chaos pulled herself a bit from the floor and leaned against the wall. "What—what's going on?" she asked. She looked around, bewildered, and Orion thought that confusion looked out of place on her. "Where am I?"

"You're in Mount Queyna," Orion said flatly. "Nova defeated you in battle hours ago—You've been resting since then, and I've been tending to you in this cave."

Chaos fell silent, and looked away from Orion. He expected her to burst into a sudden rage, to ask where Nova was, to decry her existence and wish death upon her, but she remained unnervingly calm. Slowly, she reached toward her neck, and her hand touched the heavy metal band that had been snapped around her neck like a collar. Her eyes widened. It was an inhibitor collar.

"Where did you get this?" she snapped, turning her gaze on Orion. The familiar fire returned to her eyes, burning furiously.

Orion, however, didn't care that she was angry; she was harmless, after all, with the collar on.

"Mew found it," he answered simply. "She was roaming the mountain earlier, cleaning up wreckage and seeing what could be salvaged. And then she found a backpack with two of those collars in it. Your backpack, no doubt."

Chaos didn't answer. Her glare said all that was needed.

"I imagine those collars were intended for me and Mew?" asked Orion, though he didn't sound particularly interested.

"Yes," muttered Chaos, and her teeth were gritted.

"Ah. Of course. I suppose you wish that you had actually managed to get a hold of me now, don't you?" said Orion, and he was surprised by the taunting edge in his voice. "That collar would have come in handy. But I imagine you didn't expect me of all people to throw such a wrench into your plans, did you? Did it catch you by surprise when Orion, 'the useless Mewtwo,' showed up in your headquarters and ruined everything?"

Chaos pulled her face back, clearly surprised by Orion's sudden harshness. She had never seen him like this before. "Orion, what are you—"

"You don't remember, do you?" he hissed. "The things you said to me when I left Team Rocket? You said I was worthless. You said I was the most useless of all the Mewtwos. I certainly proved you wrong, though, didn't I?"

Chaos was silent for a long time. She pulled herself away from Orion, looking away from him entirely. Orion could see how uncomfortable she was, powerless for the first time in her life and in the hands of someone who she had slighted quite badly in the past. It was obvious to both of them who had the losing end of this situation.

She sat still for several moments, the silence between them like a cord, stretching tighter and tighter until it was about to snap from the tension. Finally, she looked at him again, and the cord snapped in two.

"Why?" she said suddenly, and her eyebrows narrowed into an almost hurt expression; Orion couldn't be sure—he had never seen her hurt before.

He looked at her coldly. "Why what?"

"Why did you put the collar on me?" she demanded. "Did you want to see me defenceless? Why?"

"Why do you _think_ we put the collar on you?" Orion exclaimed, his voice sharpening with anger and disbelief. "Chaos, you tried to kill Nova! You were completely psychopathic! For all I knew, you were going to slaughter me as soon as you woke up, and I wasn't going to take that chance!"

"Then why am I even alive?" bristled Chaos. "You had your chance to kill me when I was knocked out—so why aren't I dead? Why didn't you kill me?"

"If Mewtwo had had his way, you _would_ be dead," Orion snapped. "And I was almost ready to let you plummet to your death, too, after Nova knocked you out. But I think enough damage has been done already, Chaos. Too many people have been hurt and killed because of a conflict _you _started, and I wasn't going to let one more person die, even if it was you."

Chaos stared at him cuttingly. "Oh really, that's the only reason?" she taunted.

Orion's eyes narrowed into a cold, dangerous glare. "Yes, Chaos. That's the only reason."

"You aren't still in love with me, are you, Orion?" said Chaos, her voice so acidic that Orion could almost feel it burn.

But Orion had stood up by this point, so angry that he didn't think he would be able to contain his rage if he remained still for another moment. "How could I possibly be in love with you?" he shouted, so harshly that even Chaos had to flinch at his voice. "After how you treated me? After the things you said to me? After what you tried to do to Nova? Chaos, you're _insane. _You're insane, and you treated me worse than dirt—how could I love you after all you've done? Who could _ever _love you?"

The last words seemed to strike Chaos particularly hard, and she recoiled from Orion as if stricken by a physical blow. Orion hadn't meant to say something so harsh, even if it was true, even if he meant it—it wasn't in his nature to hurt someone just to see their pain, and immediately he felt himself grow heavy with guilt.

And then, to Orion's amazement, he saw Chaos's eyes shining, welling suddenly with tears that he had never seen there before.

"Orion…" she began to say, but her sentence led nowhere, and she fell silent, biting down on her trembling lip.

A slow, painful realization then began to dawn on Orion, and the guilt that had stirred within him before suddenly solidified into something worse, something heavier and more painful that made him nearly feel ill. Suddenly, the things he had seen in Chaos's mind, the images of himself, and the stabbing pain that had gone with them, all made sense.

He looked closely at Chaos, and as he did, his eyes widened. "I don't love you," he said, his voice quiet and suddenly hoarse. "But you're in love with me, aren't you?"

Chaos snapped her gaze at him, and two streams of tears spilled from her eyes when she narrowed them. "What? What are you—"

"No, Chaos, I saw into your mind," said Orion. "You remember. I didn't mean to and I didn't want to, but I… I saw everything. I didn't even understand half of it at first—there was just too much, too fast, and—well, I see it now. It makes sense—"

"No!" cried Chaos, grabbing her head as if Orion was threatening to see into it again. "No! I don't care what you saw! You're wrong! You weren't supposed to see—those were _my_ thoughts, Orion—and you—you weren't supposed to—you're wrong!"

"No, Chaos, I'm not!" Orion said impatiently. "You can't deny your own thoughts! You—"

"—No, Orion, you don't know what you're talking about—"

"What are you trying to hide?" Orion shouted finally. "I read your mind, Chaos, you _can't _hide anything! Why are you trying to deny it? Are you ashamed about it? Humiliated? Is that it? Because if that's the case, then good, because it's about time you know what it feels like."

Uncomfortable silence fell over the two Mewtwos again, and Orion looked away, allowing his anger to dissipate. Chaos self-consciously tried to wipe the wetness from her eyes, but they only glistened anew with fresh tears.

"I—I love Giovanni," she said coldly, but her voice choked in a sob halfway through the sentence. "Not you."

"Yeah, I know you love him, too," Orion muttered bitterly. "Or at least you think you do. Frankly, I don't think you really love anyone, Chaos—I don't think you've ever really known anything beyond infatuation. You're not in love, Chaos—you're just miserable and confused."

"You don't think I loved him?" yelled Chaos, anger glimmering hotly behind her tears. "If I didn't love him, Orion, then why the hell does it hurt so much?"

"Because he blinded you, Chaos," said Orion briskly. "Just like you blinded me. But at least I finally saw through it. You, on the other hand…" Orion trailed off, and shook his head with a sigh.

"You don't know anything, Orion," Chaos hissed, and the tears were flowing freely now. "I knew Giovanni better than you did, so don't you even _dare_ tell me what our relationship was and what it wasn't—_you don't know_. You don't know a goddamn thing."

Orion fell silent. Perhaps Chaos had a point; whether or not she was right didn't matter, though, because he felt that it was time to let the subject drop. More important matters needed to be discussed, anyway.

Turning away, Orion moved toward the entrance of the cave. There, he leaned against the cavern's wall, his back to Chaos, looking out at the stars that had since risen to the sky.

"You're going to have to leave, Chaos," he said quietly.

Chaos's voice answered quietly, weakly from the darkness behind him. "What?"

Orion turned his head slightly. From the corner of his eye, he could see Chaos's form sitting further down in the cave. Her back was to the wall, her arms around her knees, and her tail was coiled protectively around herself.

"Mewtwo and Nova don't want you here," he explained. "They want you gone as soon as possible. And you've recovered now—there's no point in you staying. You'll have to leave."

"I know that," she replied quietly. Her voice sounded so hollow and so emotionless that Orion suspected she was hiding something—likely she felt hurt.

"Where are you going to go?" he asked.

"…I don't know."

"Why not go back to Team Rocket?"

"I can't go back there," she said hoarsely, and Orion could hear her swallow heavily—she was fighting back a sob. "My career as a Rocket is ruined, Orion. After this whole fiasco, they'll never let me lead Team Rocket again. I've failed completely as a leader. It's over."

"But you're Boss—and a Mewtwo, at that. Can't you just force them into submission?"

"You know very well that it's not that simple."

Orion shrugged. "Yes, I suppose, yes… But if not Team Rocket, then what will you do?"

Orion then turned around to look at Chaos directly, and to his bafflement, Chaos crumbled beneath his stare into a sudden fit of weeping. Her face in her hands, Chaos wept openly, her entire body suddenly quaking with the force of deep, powerful sobs. The tears poured freely from her quickly reddening eyes, down her cheeks, and through her fingers.

"I don't know!" she cried. "I don't know! I don't know what I'm going to do!"

"W-well, it's nothing to cry about," Orion stammered, surprised by this sudden breakdown.

"I have no where to go, Orion!" sobbed Chaos angrily. "I can't stay here, I cant go back to Viridian City—I—I have nothing, Orion, I'm completely alone, and I can't go anywhere, and I—I—"

But Chaos couldn't go on; her throat seized violently with a fresh wave of sobbing, and her head fell into her hands again.

Orion watched the scene before him with wide, disbelieving eyes; he had never seen Chaos this distraught. "Well—well Chaos, you brought this on yourself, you know."

"Of course I know that!" she cried, her eyes flashing angrily and causing more tears to spill down. "Oh, God, Orion, I'm sorry—I'm so sorry, I'm sorry for everything I've done—I never… I never meant for this to happen, but it just hurt so much, Orion, and I—I—I never should have tried to kill Nova, I know that now, but I—I only wanted—Oh Orion, I'm so sorry, I didn't want this to happen—"

She lapsed back into weeping again, and Orion could only watch, perplexed. What was he supposed to do, console her? Console the person who had torn his heart open and had attempted to kill one of his friends?

But then suddenly, Chaos looked up, her eyes glittering with a sudden desperation, and her sobbing seemed to weaken for a moment.

"Orion… Orion, you can forgive me, can't you?" she asked suddenly.

"Wh-what? Chaos, I don't think—"

"Orion, you have to forgive me!" she cried, and suddenly she was on her feet, moving towards him, grabbing his shoulders so tightly that he gasped.

"Orion, please!" she begged. "You can forgive me, I know you can, and—and—we can leave here together, just you and me—we can leave this place forever and start over. We could do that! I do love you, Orion, I love you, I don't want to leave you—just, please, Orion, please forgive me!"

"No, Chaos," said Orion. His voice was quiet, little more than a whisper, but it came down upon Chaos with such a force that her desperate pleading came to an abrupt stop, her lip left trembling and her eyes still streaming.

It pained Orion to see her like this, to see her so pathetic, so utterly broken and desperate and completely unlike herself, but he couldn't agree to her wishes. He knew her regret was genuine—he didn't have to read her mind to know that she was being sincere, for the first time in her life—but what she was asking… He couldn't.

"I don't love you, Chaos, not anymore," he said quietly. "I used to. I used to love you more than anything, and if you had asked me a few months ago to come away with you and run away together, I would have said yes. In a heartbeat. But I've changed, Chaos, and so have you. I can't possibly be with you ever again. I'll forgive you, I can do that much—I know why you did what you did, I understand your pain, I really do—but that's all. I never want to see you again."

"O-Orion, please—"

"No, Chaos. That's it. I forgive you, but that's all. I can forgive you, but I can't ever forget the pain you've caused all of us. Chaos, I… I just want you to leave. Please. I just want to leave all this behind me. For good. Please just give me that."

Chaos looked at Orion for a long time. For several moments, Orion felt as if he were being penetrated by those golden eyes, as if his entire soul was suddenly laid bare before her to be sized and judged by her brilliant, yellow gaze. But then her eyes suddenly softened, the fire, the ice, all of the anger and coldness, all gone in an instant. She looked away, and with her fingers, she wiped away the last of her tears.

"Fine," she said finally, her voice barely even trembling anymore. "Fine, Orion. If that's how you feel."

"It is."

"All right then. If I have no choice in the matter… I'll leave."

"Very well," he murmured. "But if you want to leave, I'll have to take off the collar. And I can only do that if you promise to leave here immediately."

"I will."

"Can you promise?"

"I promise."

"I mean it—you have to be gone. No lingering, nothing. And if you so much as try to hurt Nova again—"

"I won't."

"And you can't ever come back here again."

There was a pause; Chaos seemed to hesitate, and Orion saw some sort of pain flicker in her eyes. "I won't, Orion. I promise."

Orion looked at her with a wary gaze, wondering if he could trust her. But knowing that she was powerless and couldn't protect against any sort of telepathy, he allowed his mind to graze hers, just slightly; he didn't want to read her mind completely—he never wanted to do that again—he only wanted the truth.

And to his relief, that's what he found. She had answered truthfully, and as far as Orion could tell, she had made her promises with complete sincerity.

"Get out of there, Orion," Chaos growled, pulling her head away from him.

"I'm sorry. But you know I couldn't trust you," he muttered.

"Yes, whatever. Just get the collar off, would you?"

Orion frowned, displeased to see that Chaos's usual coldness had returned. Silently, Orion concentrated for the briefest moment, and with a wave of his hand, the collar pulled apart and fell twisted and broken to the ground.

Chaos rubbed her neck where the collar had been, and muttered her thanks without sounding particularly thankful. She then walked past him, and stood beside him at the mouth of the cave.

"Well then, Orion… Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Chaos," he said quietly. "I wish you the best."

"Thank you," she replied, and kissed him gently on the cheek.

And that was it. Goodbye. Chaos didn't say another word to Orion, but simply left; she leapt from the edge of the cave and swept off into the night, without a single look back, and Orion watched her as she flew away. She sped off quickly, and Orion watched as she became a glowing blue streak against the blackened sky, watched as she shrank into the distance until she became indistinguishable from every other star glittering on the horizon.

Chaos was gone, and with nothing else to see, Orion turned away from the cave's edge. With his back to the night, Orion felt some part inside of him die, but decided that it was a part of him that he could do without.

* * *

It was late in Viridian City. Just as night had fallen over Johto and Mount Queyna, so, too, had it come to Kanto, and the city of Viridian was no exception. Though the sky had fallen dark hours ago, and the moon and stars had been shining all night, it was impossible to tell from the city, whose lights overpowered everything in the heavens above. The city didn't sleep—it still hummed with cars and people and pokémon, just as every city did, and its lights, whether warm and incandescent or gaudy and neon, shined brighter than stars. 

This was apparent even from the city's outskirts, where Chaos stood just at the edge of Viridian Forest. She had come back to the Team Rocket headquarters, not because she wanted to, but because she had to. She didn't know where she was going or what she was going to do, but the HQ was her first stop—things had to be put in order.

Leaning against a tree, Chaos dragged her gaze away from the city in the distance and looked at the dark figure of the headquarters that loomed near her. She didn't want to go in. She didn't want to face the organization that she had so sorely failed, but she knew that she had to. Too much damage had been done, and she was still leader—it was her job to set things right again, or at least as right as possible.

Chaos sighed wearily, and hesitated to do anything. She could only imagine the chaos that she had caused; the organization would surely be in turmoil after what had happened at Mount Queyna, and Chaos had to act quickly. In her absence, she knew that there would be a vicious struggle among the ranks about who would become leader, and Domino had warned Chaos before that such a struggle could tear the organization apart from the inside. Team Rocket had always rested on a delicate balance of power, and Chaos knew that she had to do everything she could to maintain that balance while she still could.

But standing around and worrying about it wasn't going to do any good. She had to go in. If she was ever going to get on with her life, this had to be taken care of first. So Chaos held her breath and closed her eyes, as if about to plunge into ice-cold water, and disappeared in the flash of a Teleport.

When she reappeared, she found herself no longer outside, but in the dark, quiet familiarity of her office, and she found herself cringing strangely at that thought—_her _office. Could she really consider it hers anymore? No lights were on, and no one was there, and the entire room was suffocated in a silence heavier than death. Moonlight poured in through the windows on the opposite wall, behind the desk, and she could see all of Viridian City sprawled below. For a moment, it almost felt like just another night at the office, just another evening spent alone with her work. But she knew this wasn't the case. This wasn't just another night—this was the last. After tonight, she never wanted to come here again.

For a moment, she wondered why the office was empty. She had expected the executives, at least, to be there, taking helm of the Team while they plotted how the organization could fix this latest disaster, or at least _someone _there who could have claimed some sort of temporary leadership. But there was no one. Just the shadows, and slanting moonlight, and the cold silence that settled over everything like old dust.

Chaos took a step toward the desk, eager to sit down in the waiting comfort of the leather chair, but it was then that she realized that she wasn't alone. Not entirely. Suddenly, she felt something soft and sinuous wind around her legs, and a soft mewling broke the silence. Chaos looked down, and saw that it was Giovanni's Persian.

"Persian!" she gasped. She had completely forgot about the pokémon—in her haste to chase after Nova and Mewtwo upon their unexpected escape to Mount Queyna, Chaos had left the poor creature behind in her office, locked up and alone. _If only Giovanni were alive to see how badly I've failed, _thought Chaos bitterly. _First I damage his organization, and then I neglect his beloved pet_.

Persian meowed again, still rubbing against Chaos's legs.

"Oh, Persian, I'm sorry," Chaos murmured, bending to stroke back the feline's ears. "I didn't mean to abandon you like that… You must have been so lonely… Oh, I'm sorry—I haven't done anything right today."

Chaos then walked around the desk and sat down at her chair, opening one of the desk drawers as she did. From the drawer, she pulled out a bag of Pokeblocks and poured some into her hand. She then offered her palm to Persian, who greedily ate up the treats; it wasn't much, but it was better than nothing after a day without food.

With Persian tended to and seemingly content as he curled up around Chaos's feet, Chaos turned away. There were other matters to take care of, obviously, but she wasn't sure where to begin. For a moment, she considered contacting the executives, but thought better of it—reconsidering, she decided that Domino was the one person who she needed at the moment.

But how to find her was another matter. She had no idea where the Rocket would be at the moment or how to reach her. But then, just as Chaos began to theorize about Domino's current whereabouts, the very subject of her thoughts burst in through the office door quite conveniently.

Domino began to move toward the desk, but halted in her tracks when she realized that there was a Mewtwo sitting at it. She began to take a step backwards, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Chaos!" she gasped, covering her mouth. "My God, Chaos! You survived!"

"You sound surprised," said Chaos sardonically.

"Well, Chaos—there were three Mewtwos and—and a Mew—you were completely outmatched, I just thought—"

"Well, it doesn't matter now," Chaos snapped. "That battle's over and I'd rather not talk about it. Although I must say I found it interesting that you and the rest of the Rockets seemed all too eager to abandon me. Very interesting indeed."

"Well—well what did you expect me to do?" said Domino defensively. "I only did what I knew was best for the Team! We would have all been killed if we had fought any longer—you must realize that."

Chaos shrugged. "Fine, fine, it doesn't matter—obviously I managed to survive without your help, anyway."

"Chaos, it's not like I wanted to abandon the mission—it had to be done! It's good that you're safe now but—"

"Drop it," said Chaos, and her tone made it final. "There are more important matters I wish to discuss with you. Which reminds me… why are you here in my office anyway? It's a little odd that you would be bursting in here uninvited, and at such a strange hour."

"Well, I was in one of the meeting rooms with the executives," explained Domino, "and we were discussing the matter of all the damage that was caused today—to equipment, pokémon, personnel, and, well, you saw everything that happened—and obviously this needs to be paid for. Since the rest of this mission was funded by your personal funds, Chaos, we thought it best that the damages be paid by you, as well. And because you've been missing all day and no one has any access to your money, I came here to see if I could find any useful information lying around in your desk."

"I see," said Chaos flatly. "Well, don't worry, I'll give them everything they need. I don't expect Team Rocket to pay for this fiasco."

Domino frowned. "I certainly hope not," she muttered, and Chaos bristled at the accusatory edge in her voice. "Do you have any idea of the sort of crisis we've been dealing with since we left Mount Queyna? The medical quarters are full to capacity right now with injured Rockets and pokémon, and on top of all the damage done to the Rockets and our equipment, parts of the HQ itself have been torn to pieces by Orion and Mew. An entire cell-block was destroyed—"

Chaos held up her hand for Domino to stop. "I know, I know," she said quickly. "This whole thing… was a disaster. I know. Don't worry. Money isn't a concern, I'll deal with it—"

"It's more than money, Chaos," said Domino grimly. "Don't you realize that your position as boss is in jeopardy right now? The executives are furious at you. And not just the executives—the scientists, too—I've never seen Sebastian angrier in my life. They're questioning your authority, Chaos, and I'm afraid of what they might do to undermine it."

"It doesn't matter," muttered Chaos. "I'm quitting."

Domino raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"I'm quitting. I don't want to have anything to do with Team Rocket anymore. Do you think I want to show my face here again after what's happened today? I'm leaving, and I'm not coming back."

"You can't do that!" shouted Domino. "Not now! You can't just leave Team Rocket with no one in charge—you don't understand what sort of—"

"Then I'll have _you _be boss," interrupted Chaos. "You know a lot more about Team Rocket than I do. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if you understood the organization better than the executives."

Domino shook her head, her eyes wide with a strange fear. "No, Chaos. No. I can't be leader, I can't—"

"Yes, you can! Domino, you've been my advisor this whole time, and everything I've done right has been because of you. Other Rockets listen to you and respect you—and you knew Giovanni longer than I did—you can be boss. You know more about it than I do.

"But why not one of the executives?" said Domino, almost pleading. "Please, Chaos, you have to re-think this—"

"No. Not the executives," Chaos growled. "They're good at what they do, but they're greedy. Too dangerous. You though, you I can trust to do what's best for the organization."

"But—"

"Can you think of someone else better for the job, Domino? Can you? Because if you'd like to nominate someone else for the position, then I'd be glad to hear it."

Domino was silent. Of course she couldn't think of anyone. She was one of the best Rockets, was she not? Sure, there were others who were just as exceptional as she was, but to trust them with the entire organization? No. Either they would manipulate it for their own self-interest—much like Chaos had—or they simply weren't leaders. But Domino had been in Team Rocket since she was young, she knew its ins and outs, and she had been close enough to Giovanni to see precisely what being the Boss entailed. Maybe she _was_ the best candidate.

Domino remained silent for several more moments, turning the proposition over in her mind. She knew that accepting the job would be dangerous—others would want it, too, and she was certain that she would become the target of at least one plot against her. But, like Chaos had said, she was well-respected, and knew already that she would have a loyal following. She would just have to stay alert until the dust settled.

"…Fine. Fine," said Domino finally, releasing her breath in a defeated sigh. "I'll… I'll take your place. But it's not going to be as simple as that, you know."

"Don't worry about it, Domino," said Chaos with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I'll break the news to the executives and everyone else. I'm the boss, and if I name a successor, well, then there's nothing they can do about it."

"Except kill me."

"But you're cleverer than most. You'll do fine."

Domino realized that she had been complimented, but didn't respond. She felt nervous, and didn't like it.

"When are you leaving?" she asked bluntly.

"As soon as possible. Tomorrow, maybe the day after… I don't know. Whenever I clean this mess up."

"And where will you go?"

"Away."

"But—where? To live in the wild? That doesn't seem like you, Chaos—I can hardly imagine you outside the human world. I mean, outside Team Rocket, you can't simply run off and go live in Viridian City, happily ever after. Not in your… form. As a Mewtwo."

Chaos smiled. "I'll find something, Domino."

Chaos then stood up to leave. There were Team Rocket matters to be dealt with, after all, and she wanted them dealt with as soon as possible. But before she left, she turned to Domino once more.

"Domino?" she asked. As she stood, Persian stood up to join her, and nudged her leg with his snout. "Will you promise me something?"

"It depends. What's the promise?"

"Will you look after Persian when I'm gone? I mean, first Giovanni, then me… the poor creature will need someone familiar to take care of him."

Domino caught Chaos's smile, and decided, for once, to return it. "Very well, Boss. I'll take care of it."

Chaos nodded. "Thank you, 009."

With that, Chaos turned and left the office, Persian close at her heels.

* * *

Morning was quiet on Mount Queyna, and Orion found himself seemingly alone near the healing spring. Though the sky was sunny and bright as ever, and everything around the spring was green and lush and sparkling with dew, Orion hardly seemed to notice. It didn't seem to matter to him that he was surrounded by a small grove of trees and bushes, foraging for fruit for a light breakfast; though he appeared engrossed in the task, his concentration was elsewhere. 

Orion reached up into a small tree, plucking an apple from one of its boughs, and brought it to eye level. He inspected it closely, checking its ripeness, turning it over in his hands to feel the smoothness of its red-green skin. It was a typical morning routine of his, ever since coming to Mount Queyna, to gather fruit for breakfast. Sometimes Mew joined him, sometimes she didn't—but he never could tell where Mew was half the time. Mew had her ways, however mysterious, and Orion didn't try too hard to understand them.

But, routine or not, Orion felt strangely uneasy that morning, plucking apples from one of the spring's trees, and he couldn't quite figure out why. Perhaps it was the events from the day before; the day's battle had left him feeling quite rattled, and Chaos's leaving had shaken him even more so. Just looking around the healing spring made him feel strange; the wreckage and the carnage of the day before had been removed, of course, but he remembered it all so well that it still felt like it was still there. What had happened the day before had changed Mount Queyna. And Orion couldn't help but think that it had changed him, too.

Cleaning the spring had been a long, difficult job. He, Mew and Mewtwo had spent the better part of their evening cleaning up the mountain, destroying the wreckage and salvaging what was useful and storing it away into some of the deeper caves. That hadn't been too much trouble, but what had really bothered Orion were the bodies. Not many Rockets had been killed in the assault, but there had been enough of them, a few of which Orion even recognized from his own training days in Team Rocket. Mewtwo had decided that it would be best to lay to them to rest deep beneath the mountain, in dark, quiet caves where no one ever ventured. And so that's what they had done, but Orion had felt uneasy doing it all the same. Gathering the bodies, all of them clad in the familiar black uniform with the blazing, red R, had finally made Orion realize that he himself was no longer a Rocket. Team Rocket was long behind him now, and never again would he follow the life of a common criminal.

But what would he do now?

Orion grabbed a few more apples from the tree, frowning as he did. It didn't feel right. It felt as if he were taking something that wasn't his. As lovely as Mount Queyna was, he didn't think that it would ever feel like his home, and as long as he stayed there, he was living in someone else's territory and eating someone else's food. He didn't like it, and he couldn't quite explain why he felt that way.

But just as Orion was about to dwell further on his current train of thought, something small and pink flitted by in the corner of his vision. He stepped away from the apple tree and turned around, and found himself face to face with a bright and smiling Mew.

Despite his uneasiness, Orion returned her smile warmly and freely. There was no denying how easily Mew could brighten any moment.

"Good morning, Orion!" she said, somersaulting and winding through the air for no other reason than that she could.

"Hey," said Orion, still grinning. "I was hoping you'd show up for breakfast."

He tossed her an apple, which she deftly caught in her small, rosy hands. "Well, it's a lovely morning, isn't it?" she replied. "Simply couldn't miss it."

Mew took a small bite out of the fruit and chewed it thoughtfully. "Where's Chaos?"

"She left," said Orion, and he tried to sound emotionless. "Last night."

"So soon?"

"Well, she had recovered, and I didn't want her staying any longer than necessary."

Mew simply nodded and gave Orion an understanding look. "Ah. I see."

"Mew, don't look at me like that," sighed Orion. "I'm through with her, okay? It's over. I never want to see her again."

"Fine, fine, I believe you," said Mew, taking another bite of apple. "Although the two of you must have parted on relatively friendly terms, I assume, seeing as Chaos made no attempt to blow up the mountain, or anything like that."

Orion shrugged. "Friendly enough."

Mew nodded, and silently finished the rest of her apple. Orion looked away, and finally decided to take a taste of his; biting into the soft flesh, he savoured its tart flavour, even if it did feel stolen.

He chewed for a moment before speaking again. "Where are Mewtwo and Nova?"

"Resting, I imagine," said Mew. "Or celebrating."

Orion chuckled. "Celebrating?"

Mew smiled, almost deviously. "Well, I think you can use your imagination," she giggled. "But they have every reason to celebrate, I think. Chaos is gone, Nova's with child—they must be happy."

Mewtwo had informed them yesterday, after the battle, of Nova's news, and Orion had no doubt that Mewtwo and Nova were overjoyed with it. Orion felt happy for them, of course—his heart had swelled with nothing but joy for the happy couple when he had heard the news—but he couldn't help but feel a little bit envious. Everything had worked out perfectly for them, as perfect as anyone could have hoped for. They had each other, a baby on the way, and the promise that Team Rocket would never interfere with them again; Orion, however, couldn't help but feel that all he had gained from the whole ordeal were a few scars that had taken far too long to heal.

"I have no doubt they're happy," said Orion, and hoped he didn't sound bitter. "They've fought long and hard. They deserve it."

"And how do _you_ feel, Orion?" asked Mew. Her voice, though still soft and warm, had suddenly become serious rather than bubbly. Orion looked at her, caught off guard, and she went on. "I mean, you've went through a lot in the past few days. Fighting against Team Rocket and seeing Chaos again must had taken quite a bit out of you."

"I… I guess it did, yeah," Orion muttered.

"What are you going to do now?"

Only the night before, Orion had asked Chaos the same question, and had been surprised when she had burst into tears. But now he understood why. He had no idea what he was going to do or where he should go. He could barely see five minutes into his future, and that realization filled him with such a heavy, hollow feeling of dread that his very lungs seemed to constrict until he couldn't breathe. All he knew was that he couldn't stay at Mount Queyna, not anymore. But where_could _he go?

"I—I don't know," he said finally, swallowing the urge to cry.

Mew could see the panic flickering behind his eyes, and she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Well, don't worry about it, Orion You have all the time in the world to think about it."

Orion swallowed heavily and closed his eyes, but then something inside him clicked. Maybe there wasn't anywhere in the world for him to go. Maybe there wasn't any destination for him to reach, any place that he could find for himself and call home.

So why not simply go _everywhere?_

Orion opened his eyes and looked up at Mew. His eyes were suddenly wide and bright with something shining and hopeful, a dawning realization that hadn't been there before.

"Mew, I don't want to stay here," he said, his voice hushed with excitement. "I mean, I love Mewtwo and Nova dearly, I really do—but I can't stay at Mount Queyna. I've seen so little of the world, Mew—I just want to get out of here, leave this perfect, idyllic little paradise and leave everything behind. Travel. _See_ the world. See everything. You know?"

Mew smiled at him. "That sounds like a good idea."

Orion's mind was suddenly racing faster than he could keep up with, and suddenly, a newer, wilder idea surfaced in his mind.

"And, Mew—I want you to come with me."

Mew, who had been doing a casual flip in the air, halted halfway and looked at Orion, head tilted to the side. "Oh?" she said simply.

"Yes!" said Orion excitedly. "You've travelled! You've seen more than anyone! We could leave here together—you could show me everything!"

Mew floated still for a few moments, her tail twitching behind her as she considered the proposition. "Well," she said slowly. "I have been at Mount Queyna for an awfully long time, and I do grow tired of staying in one place for so long… It's been a while since I've done any extensive travelling. You may just have stumbled upon a very good plan, Orion."

Orion smiled hopefully. "Well, then? Is that a yes?"

Mew giggled. "Yes, I think it is."

"Oh, Mew, this is fantastic!" Orion laughed, and he pulled Mew into a sudden hug. Mew laughed with him and playfully squeezed from his embrace, flitting above him and just beyond his reach.

"Well then, we're going to have inform the others of our travel plans!" she said.

"Yes, I suppose we will."

"Well, I'm going to find them first!" Mew teased, and she raced off into the air.

"Hey!" shouted Orion in surprise. "Wait up, you!"

And he leapt into the air after Mew, laughing with a mix of glee, relief, excitement, and sheer fondness for Mew. Finally, Orion had a journey before him, a companion to share it with, and a renewed sense of purpose.

Everything, for once, was going to be all right.

* * *

It was over. 

A chapter in Team Rocket history had come to a close: Chaos's business with Team Rocket was finished.

It had only taken a day, maybe less, to put her final affairs in order. Not that there had been much to do—what could be fixed, the Rockets had already attended to, and Chaos had quickly siphoned all her funds directly to Team Rocket to make up for the rest of the damage she had caused. With that done, the Rockets and the executives had needed little other direction. They were efficient employees, after all, for the most part.

All that had remained was to relinquish her title and bestow it upon the next in line—Domino. Chaos had announced her decision to the organization earlier that day, and couldn't be happier with the reaction she had received; there were no complaints, no protests, no conflict at all like there had been when Chaos had taken the reigns. But Domino was a highly experienced Rocket, and well-known, even if she was still young. Giovanni himself had always held her in high esteem, and the rest of the organization realized that.

It was what was best for Team Rocket—few could argue with that. And no matter what difficulties lay ahead, Chaos had complete confidence that Domino would overcome them with ease.

And so it was over. Done. Chaos had just left her office for the last time—said her goodbyes to Domino, and her thanks, and had scratched Persian behind the ears just one more time. Chaos had always considered Persian to be the last remaining part of Giovanni that still walked the Earth—it had always followed him like some sort of familiar, after all—and to say goodbye to the creature had been strangely difficult. Like saying goodbye to Giovanni all over again, somehow.

But that was done now. Chaos walked down the abandoned hallways of the headquarters, each step taking her further from the office that was no longer hers, and putting her past behind her just a little bit more. Team Rocket was behind her, and it was time for her to venture out on her own now, though what, precisely, she was going to do eluded her. But that didn't matter—she would make it up as she went along.

What she did know, however, was that she had no intention of leaving the human world. Not entirely.

When Domino had brought it up the day before, Chaos had come to the realization that, no, she wouldn't be able to live in the wild. The mere thought of it repulsed her—to live like a common pokémon, lost to the savagery of the wild, was not at all her idea of a liveable lifestyle. She liked humans, and more than that, she liked the luxuries that living in their world provided. It wasn't something she was willing to leave behind.

But being a pokémon, and a Mewtwo, at that, would obviously complicate things. While Team Rocket had treated her as an equal, the rest of the human world would no doubt see her as simply an anomaly, or worse, just another pokémon to be captured and tamed. Oh, she could dominate them if she wanted to of course, and take them over simply by force, but Chaos was tired of fighting. And she had already been at the top before, and was all too aware of how precarious and fleeting power could be. It wasn't something she thought she would ever seek again.

So she had thought about it. She didn't want to abandon the human world, but what could she do, as a pokémon? She had thought long and hard about it, but an idea had only come to her earlier that day, when she had asked Domino, out of simple curiosity, how Mew and Orion had breached the HQ's security. The details of the battle and the damage that had resulted had been of little interest to Chaos, but the security footage that Domino had showed had fascinated Chaos considerably—though Orion and Mew's fight against the Tyranitar had been mostly typical, it didn't escape Chaos's attention that Mew had used Transform.

And that had given Chaos an idea.

Chaos grinned to herself as she padded along the darkened corridor. The idea was simple, but genius. It would require a small theft, which honestly didn't bother Chaos very much, and what she intended to steal wasn't something that the scientists couldn't easily replace, anyway. It wouldn't even be noticed.

All that she had to do was find the appropriate storage room it was in, and that much would be easy. All that had been necessary on Chaos's part was a quick search through Team Rocket's inventory files for the item in question, and the organization's database had provided all the information she had needed on the item's use, location, and quantity. There was only one available outside the labs, apparently—a prototype, most likely—but that was all Chaos needed.

Chaos moved quickly through the hallways, taking a few quick turns and descending a staircase or two, before she arrived at the room she was looking for. After quickly entering a code into a keypad beside the door, Chaos opened the door and stepped into the room.

The storeroom was dark, and Chaos flicked a nearby switch on the wall, bathing the room suddenly in fluorescent light. The room was cold and empty, long, and filled with rows of dusty shelves and metal cabinets. Every shelf in sight was crammed full of useful pokémon products; Chaos could see poke balls, nearly every type imaginable, cabinets labelled 'Hyper Potion' and 'Max Potion,' antidotes and elixirs, pokémon food and vitamin supplements, and bottles and jars of countless other medicines.

But none of that was what Chaos was looking for. She weaved in and out amongst the shelves, searching intently for what she had come to find, and finally, she found the shelf she wanted. It was one of the bigger shelves in the room, and was filled from top to bottom with an impressive collection of TM's. TM's were useful to Team Rocket just as they were to any regular trainer; one of Team Rocket's goals was to build an impressive pokémon army, and what better way to do so than to teach pokémon impressive attacks they might not otherwise learn naturally?

Chaos stood back and scanned the shelves from left to right, reading the labels of the TM's carefully. Names of various attacks jumped out at her in big, capital letters, like _FLAMETHROWER, _or _SURF._Some of them were common TM's that could be purchased at just about any decent Poke-Mart, while some were considerably rarer, and some didn't even exist anywhere else at all—these were the ones designed by Team Rocket scientists, and it was one of these that held Chaos's ticket to the human world.

And then she found it. There it was, labelled clear as day in front of her, the exact TM she wanted. A satisfied smile spread across her lips, and Chaos plucked the TM from its dusty spot on the shelf. It was a small, metallic disk, like the others, contained within a small plastic box. From the disk dangled a few wires that were meant to be plugged into a TM reading machine, which in turn would attach to a pokémon via electrodes. A simple technology, in design, but tremendously valuable.

_And this one in particular will be very useful, _thought Chaos with a grin. She rubbed a hand over the label, wiping away the dust, and the attack written on it stood out clearer than before:

_TRANSFORM._

Still grinning, Chaos tucked the TM beneath her arm and turned to leave the room—and the entire headquarters—behind. She could do whatever she wanted now, go wherever she pleased, with that kind of ability.

And, with everything that she needed, Chaos left

* * *

Night fell quietly over Mount Queyna, like a fresh winter snow, soft and silent and glittering. Once the sun had fallen and disappeared beneath the horizon altogether, a powerful, breezeless calm settled over the mountain and the surrounding valley; it was a calm so deep and lonely that it was if the mountain itself recognized that someone had left it, and now, weary and tired of everything it had seen in the past few days, was exhaling a long-held sigh. Nothing seemed to move or breathe on its summit, its waters glassy smooth and not so much as a leaf rippling out of place. 

Nova could feel it, too. She could feel the mountain's calmness, and it was so powerful that it was almost unsettling. Ever since Orion and Mew had departed the mountain that very afternoon, it was if some tremendous change had swept across the mountain like a silent, invisible shockwave. Things were different now—for better or worse, Nova didn't know—but she could feel it. It seeped into her, her bones rang with it, and the mountain was so still and silent that the air was electric with it.

It made Nova restless. She couldn't sleep, and the sun had set long ago—it was late now. But she hadn't been able to find sleep, even with Mewtwo slumbering protectively at her side, even with her head clear now of worry and pain, and even with the nausea that had plagued her stomach finally gone. But everything felt different now._She_ felt different now, and it left her restless and uneasy. She couldn't sleep.

She had left Mewtwo quickly and silently. She had left his chamber, hoping not to wake him, and had wandered across the island in search of peace. She had found it, or something like it, on a far corner of the island that jutted out as a cliff into the mountain's lake. She sat there, close to the very edge, staring out at the rim of the mountain's caldera, where the inky, black smoothness of the water was divided from the inky, black smoothness of the sky. She didn't know it, but Mewtwo had often used to come to that very spot at night, when he had needed peace, long before he had met Nova. Perhaps on some level she could feel that. The spot felt good and familiar to her, even if she had never spent any time there. And a sense of familiarity was all she wanted at the moment.

Nova sighed and pulled her legs up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her. She looked to the sky, and felt soothed by the ocean of blackness there, and the distant stars thrown amongst it. Nova didn't think she had ever seen the sky so clear; there wasn't a single cloud, just stars, their shining, pinpoint masses so widespread across the heavens that it looked like the sky might simply ripple and buckle underneath the weight of them all. It was almost breathtaking enough to make her forget her restlessness and her unease.

But then a voice broke suddenly into her thoughts. "Nova?"

Nova's reverie was halted abruptly, and she spun around in surprise. Mewtwo was behind her, moving quickly to the edge of the cliff.

"M-Mewtwo!" she stammered. "I—I didn't realize you were awake."

"I…I woke up and you were gone," said Mewtwo quietly, and his expression, which had been tight and grim, softened with relief. "I—I didn't know where you had gone. And after everything that's happened to us, I… I had to come looking for you."

"Oh, Mewtwo, I'm sorry," said Nova. Her heart ached at the sight of Mewtwo, his eyes shining with genuine concern for her. "I never meant to worry you… I just couldn't sleep, that's all."

Mewtwo frowned, still concerned. "Is something bothering you?"

Nova sighed, and Mewtwo came to sit down beside her.

"I… I don't know," she murmured. "I just feel a little off. I was a little surprised when Orion and Mew left, I guess… I didn't really want them to leave."

"I know. I was disappointed, too," agreed Mewtwo. "Mew's been with me for so long that I can hardly imagine not having her here. But… it'll be good for them. I'm happy that they're off having their own adventure. And they'll come back soon enough."

Nova smiled. "Yes… you're right, of course. It's just…everything's changing so quickly."

Mewtwo nodded, and he looked distantly toward the water. "Yes, time tends to have that effect on things… But everything's changing for the better, right? I mean, I, for one, am happy that we can finally look forward to some peace for a little while."

"…a little while?"

"Well, nothing lasts forever," said Mewtwo, smiling at Nova almost mischievously.

"Fair enough," she replied with a light chuckle. "But since change is inevitable, you know what that means, right?"

Mewtwo gave her a quizzical stare. "No, what?"

Nova leaned closer to Mewtwo and kissed him on the forehead. "We're going to have to start thinking of names, of course. I'm not going to be pregnant forever, you know!"

Mewtwo laughed. It was a rich, comforting sound that instantly made Nova feel cheerier than she had felt all night.

"Yes, Nova," he said, still chuckling. "You're absolutely right."

"Any suggestions?"

"Hmm," said Mewtwo, and rubbed his chin in mock concentration. "Mewtwo Junior?"

"Absolutely not," said Nova, hitting Mewtwo playfully on the shoulder. "Besides, what makes you think it will be a boy? Or that there will only be one?"

Mewtwo laughed again. "You have a point. We don't really know what to expect, do we?"

"No," said Nova quietly. "We really don't."

Nova fell silent for a few moments. Perhaps for too long, as Mewtwo turned to look at her, his expression one of mild concern.

"Are you all right, Nova?"

"I—I'm just worried," she said quietly, rubbing her upper arm absentmindedly. "I mean—we _don't _know what to expect from this pregnancy, do we? Even the scientists had no idea. What if something goes wrong, Mewtwo? What if the baby and I end up in danger somehow?"

Mewtwo looked ahead again, and seemed to consider something for a few moments. After a few minutes of silent deliberation, he turned to look at Nova again.

"Well, I have an idea," he said. "I've actually been planning to make some adjustments to Mount Queyna for awhile—renovations, I guess you could say. I was planning on building a new laboratory inside the mountain; it wouldn't be too hard—I've done it before—and I can go back to New Island and collect everything I left there, and use some of the materials that Team Rocket left behind here. And a lab can easily double as a medical facility, or a pokémon centre, if you will. You and the baby could be cared for there."

"Really?"

"Yes, I don't think it would be much of a problem. I have an extensive knowledge of pokémon physiology from the studying and genetic engineering I did on New Island."

"Well that… that would be perfect, Mewtwo."

Mewtwo then looked at Nova closely, and his expression was very serious. "But you have to realize that I would have to run a few tests on you," he went on. "Nothing invasive, but just measures to check up on the health of you and the baby. I know you might be uncomfortable with that, after being subjected to the Team Rocket labs, and I can understand—"

"No, Mewtwo, that's fine. It was different in the labs. They didn't care about me there—they treated me like I was just a toy for them to play with. I know you would never treat me like that."

Mewtwo smiled, and wrapped his arm around Nova reassuringly. "Well, then, I don't think we have anything to worry about."

Nova returned the smile, and kissed her mate on the cheek. "One question, though."

"Yes?"

"Why do you want to build a lab, anyway? Are you planning to take over the world or something?" she teased.

"Ah, not quite," he replied with a grin. "I've just felt the urge lately to do some research. There are a lot of things I'd like to learn, particularly about our own species, that I can only learn in the lab. I did a lot of genetic research back on New Island, and I think I'd like to pick up where I left off. For something to do, if nothing else. You could help me, if you'd like."

"Yes, that would be nice, I think," said Nova thoughtfully.

Nova then nuzzled in closer to Mewtwo, wrapping her arms around him to hold him tightly. Behind them, her tail curled around his in a light embrace.

"You know what? I think things might finally work out for us," she murmured, laying her head on Mewtwo's shoulder.

"I think you may be right, Nova."

Nova sighed to herself, lost in Mewtwo's warmth and presence, relishing the feeling of his soft skin against hers. She hadn't realized until then that it was possible to be dizzy with happiness.

"I love you, Mewtwo."

"I love you, too, Nova," said Mewtwo softly, and he kissed her on the forehead.

The pair remained like that for several moments, gently embraced in a warm silence and each other's arms. Mewtwo looked up at the sky, and the stars glimmered in his eyes.

"You know, since we're awake, we should go for a fly," he suggested. "The night is lovely, and it would be a shame to waste it, don't you think?"

"That sounds like a perfect idea."

Mewtwo nodded and stood up, offering his hand to Nova. She took his hand with her own, and he pulled her to her feet. Still clasping hands, they walked toward the edge of the cliff, looking down at the smooth, dark water below them.

And then Mewtwo leapt off, Nova following close behind, and they plummeted downwards before skimming over the water and sweeping upwards into the sky. There, they raced toward the heavens, weaving and spinning and diving past one another, like two playful Mew. They streamed upward in bright streaks of blue, twirling around one another, coming together, and laughing. It was blissful to feel the wind on their skin, the moonlight in their eyes, and to be using their powers for sheer fun rather than fighting.

The night went on, quiet and dark save for the stars spangled across the sky and the sounds of the two Mewtwos tumbling through the heavens. As the full, round moon maintained its silver gaze on the Earth below, the two creatures burned their way across the celestial sphere, a blue aura streaming in their wake. Had anyone been able to see them from the ground, they would have seen little more than two glowing shadows in the sky—but shadows or not, they were together, unmistakably united and inseparable.

And so the moon shone and the stars glimmered, but nothing blazed quite as brightly as the two Mewtwos in the sky.

* * *

And so the Mewtwos were parted. 

The four genetic marvels that Giovanni had so painstakingly plotted and created in his lifetime were gone, drifted away from Team Rocket and away, ultimately, from each other.

Orion, with Mew, had drifted the farthest, to untold corners of the world to see what Viridian City and Mount Queyna had never been able to show him. The world. The world was big and bright and new to his eyes, and he wanted to see it all, and hear it, and feel it to his very core. He didn't care how long his travels would last him; he had a world and a whole lifetime ahead of him, and Mew there as his guide.

Chaos had drifted to the shadows she knew best, living in Viridian City and beyond, shape-shifting her way through a world the humans called their own. Reports were often made of a peculiar black pokémon with a red R on the shoulder, but nothing could be made of the mystery, and it quickly fell to obscurity. As for the beautiful human who suddenly wandered among them, black-haired and golden-eyed, no notice was ever taken. Not even the eyes, yellow and alight with a fiery, inhuman intelligence, ever seemed to attract attention. And so Chaos remained in shadows.

And Nova remained atop a mountain with the original, her Mewtwo. They stayed in their quiet paradise together, out of reach of the humans and their world, contented with simply each other. They had everything they needed: their home, their peace, and the stirring life in Nova's belly that could only promise to turn their lives upside-down, for the better. They knew Mew and Orion would return to them eventually, that their paths would all cross again in due time, and perhaps then they, too, could leave with them to see the world. Someday. They still had a lifetime, after all, and there would always be a tomorrow.

And tomorrow looked bright.

* * *

The End

* * *

And that's all, folks. I just wanted to give a huge thanks to everyone who's taken the time to read and review this, especially those of you who have put up with me from the very beginning. It's been a long few years, and your support has made it all worthwhile.

I don't want to say anymore… I could go on at length about my own feelings about the story now that it's over, but I'd rather hear yours.

Thank you again, everyone!


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